Moscow Houzz Tour: An Inspiring Home With Magical Touches
Inspired by the owner's travels to Bali and steeped in storybook whimsy, this home transports visitors to another world
The owner of this apartment loves to travel, especially to Asia. Her favourite stop is Bali, which promises year-round summer and a vibrant social scene alongside the tranquility of nature. “For us and for the owner, Bali is an island of inspiration. We love being there,” designer Anton Korneev says.
One of the highlights of the apartment’s decor are a number of playful storybook elements.
“The storybook theme wasn’t identified clearly – it wasn’t something we aimed for,” says Blokhina. “Essentially, every designer is a magician who creates a unique fairytale for every customer. In this case, we tried to create a heartwarming story that makes negativity impossible and inspires smiles, love and adventures.”
That was the motivation behind the apartment’s cheerful wallpaper. Fish swim here in the living room, the bathroom is decorated with foxes and an enchanted city presides over the balcony. Surrounded by these cheery designs, it’s hard not to smile and be instantly transported back to your comfy childhood home, filled with your parents’ loving care.
“The storybook theme wasn’t identified clearly – it wasn’t something we aimed for,” says Blokhina. “Essentially, every designer is a magician who creates a unique fairytale for every customer. In this case, we tried to create a heartwarming story that makes negativity impossible and inspires smiles, love and adventures.”
That was the motivation behind the apartment’s cheerful wallpaper. Fish swim here in the living room, the bathroom is decorated with foxes and an enchanted city presides over the balcony. Surrounded by these cheery designs, it’s hard not to smile and be instantly transported back to your comfy childhood home, filled with your parents’ loving care.
The large living room fits the owner’s brief perfectly. It has a light-coloured wooden ceiling and a bamboo-silk carpet on the floor. There’s also a bio fireplace, which recreates the rustic atmosphere of a country house. This is complemented by the barn-wood cupboards of the open-plan kitchen.
The designers renounced upper kitchen cabinets without a second thought, in order to create a sense of lightness. The resulting design does not leave much space for storage, though it’s sufficient for the owner’s needs.
“We found the chairs for the dining area at a secondhand market. There are two pairs, one of which comes from [the Republic of] Georgia,” says Blokhina. “Our craftsmen restored them, painted them one colour and reupholstered them. We also covered the refrigerator with chalkboard paint to make it possible to draw on it or leave important messages. The striking spherical copper lamps by Tom Dixon reflect the entire room beautifully.”
The designers renounced upper kitchen cabinets without a second thought, in order to create a sense of lightness. The resulting design does not leave much space for storage, though it’s sufficient for the owner’s needs.
“We found the chairs for the dining area at a secondhand market. There are two pairs, one of which comes from [the Republic of] Georgia,” says Blokhina. “Our craftsmen restored them, painted them one colour and reupholstered them. We also covered the refrigerator with chalkboard paint to make it possible to draw on it or leave important messages. The striking spherical copper lamps by Tom Dixon reflect the entire room beautifully.”
“Everyone participated in the creation of the design. For example, the kitchen bench is lit by a fixture made of a water pipe, which the construction workers made on-site,” says Korneev.
Despite the magical touches, the apartment remains urban. The designers had a few go-to tricks to help balance storybook elements and modern necessities.
“Try to spot the TV,” says Korneev. It is not the prettiest object in the house and gave the designers a really hard time. “We found a good solution: we put it on the mantel against the black wall. This way, it doesn’t visually disturb the uniformity of the space.”
A traditional Balinese daybed is another island memento. The designers got it custom-made by Indonesian craftsmen. The inside of the white plaster fireplace is dressed with distressed mirrors, which create a beautiful effect when the fire inside is lit: it makes the whole thing look deeper and wider.
“Try to spot the TV,” says Korneev. It is not the prettiest object in the house and gave the designers a really hard time. “We found a good solution: we put it on the mantel against the black wall. This way, it doesn’t visually disturb the uniformity of the space.”
A traditional Balinese daybed is another island memento. The designers got it custom-made by Indonesian craftsmen. The inside of the white plaster fireplace is dressed with distressed mirrors, which create a beautiful effect when the fire inside is lit: it makes the whole thing look deeper and wider.
The bed and shelving unit, the lamp in the kitchen, the sink cabinet in the bathroom, doors and wardrobes are just some of the items in the home that were custom-made in Indonesia based on the designers’ sketches. While some have nothing to do with Bali, others are mementos of lovely trips.
“We ordered the bed and the yellow shelving unit from Indonesia exclusively for this project,” says Korneev. “The picture with the frogs comes from the island. Its background is an authentic Balinese newspaper.”
To hide the multi-angled layout
of the entrance hall and the corridor, Korneev and Blokhina used a wallpaper with a vertical pattern, which doesn’t arrest the eye and therefore expands the perspective of the space.
“Many people tend to place these kinds of wallpapers on single stretches of wall only, but in fact they are ideal for more complex spaces and create the impression of a forest,” says Blokhina.
of the entrance hall and the corridor, Korneev and Blokhina used a wallpaper with a vertical pattern, which doesn’t arrest the eye and therefore expands the perspective of the space.
“Many people tend to place these kinds of wallpapers on single stretches of wall only, but in fact they are ideal for more complex spaces and create the impression of a forest,” says Blokhina.
Each room was created with soul, a keen eye for the potential of the space and only the best possible solutions.
In the bathroom, for example, a blue ombre wall serves as a reminder of the white of the clouds, a light-blue sky and the navy blue of the sea. And the real sky and clouds can be seen from the window, a bonus of switching the bathroom and kitchen.
In the bathroom, for example, a blue ombre wall serves as a reminder of the white of the clouds, a light-blue sky and the navy blue of the sea. And the real sky and clouds can be seen from the window, a bonus of switching the bathroom and kitchen.
The apartment is equipped with a central sound system that can be controlled with a smartphone.
Of course, terraces in Bali offer ocean views. In the urban jungle, however, any panorama brings joy. “The balcony is long, glassed-in and offers a panoramic view of Moscow,” says Blokhina. “The balcony balustrade is made of glass panels with minimal framework, in order to preserve the lightness and airiness of the structure and to let the maximum possible daylight into the apartment. The wooden benches that run the length of the balcony are divided into sections, each of which can be lowered or raised at will.” Folding legs help support the benches when open.
With the renovation complete, the owner fell in love with her new home right away. It’s no surprise: it may not be a villa in Bali, but where better than here to sit, dream and plan new adventures? And where better to come home to after the next trip, knowing that a wonderful storybook awaits?
Tell us
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More
Want more creative design? Check out last week’s Arkansas Houzz Tour: A Violinist’s Rocking Tiny House
Tell us
What do you love about this fairytale home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to like the story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
More
Want more creative design? Check out last week’s Arkansas Houzz Tour: A Violinist’s Rocking Tiny House
House at a Glance
Location: Downtown Moscow, Russia
Who lives here: The owner of an advertising agency
Size: 75 square metres, with 3-metre-high ceilings
Year: 2015
Designers : Anton Korneev and Ekaterina Blokhina of Korneev Design Workshop
The owner wanted to recreate the spirit of a Bali villa in the heart of Moscow. Designers Anton Korneev and Ekaterina Blokhina accomplished just that, with a large living area, a great division of space into public and private areas, and lots of natural materials and mementos of life on the island.
“The apartment needed to be renovated because in its original state it wasn’t very functional and didn’t meet all of the owner’s requirements,” says Korneev. “We swapped the locations of the kitchen and the bathroom and everything fell into place.”