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BRIDGE 18/2
Type: Private apartment
Area: 87 sq. m
Location: Kyiv, Ukraine
Team: Vasyuk Vladimir, Kate Raspopina
Status: In progress (2021)
INFO | THE HALLWAY | THE KITCHEN | THE WORKPLACE | THE SLEEPING ZONE | 360 | BATHROOM
The apartment belongs to a mid 30s couple working in artistic and business environments who wanted to save the unique atmosphere of the historical building their flat is situated in. However, they still wanted to add some modern vibe which would cohere with their personalities and the dynamic lifestyle they both lead.
The main idea was to fully enjoy the space the owners had acquired without obviously dividing it into rooms what gave us more freedom in defining functions of different corners. So we aimed to highlight openness of the space and absence of too many details as well as to give full freedom of movement to the couple in their daily routine. The zones look as they were flowing into each other uniting into one wholesome space while also meeting the owners’ needs. One of the principles was also visual and functional simplicity of the space along with a calm palette of colours. Moreover, we focused on preservation of the old elements and the materials as the owners wanted to make some kind of blank canvas out of the flat to fill it with important things as the years go by.
The Hallway
While entering the apartment you find yourself in the hallway which includes couple of other entrances and partial view of the common area. From here you can see a closet with plenty of sections one of which is a door to a laundry room equipped with a washing machine, a dryer and a boiler.
We decided to put some plants on an extra level in order to add some liveliness to the place. The lighting is area-based and does not interfere into observing of the natural light cycles which is possible thanks to plenty of high windows. There is also a light portal in the closet area which enables access to the plants and creates a party atmosphere.
The Kitchen
Since the kitchen is a part of the common area the idea was to completely hide it and to avoid resemblance to the classic kitchen image. Most of the furniture such as oven, refrigerator, and dishwasher are built-in and covered by the facades. We achieved this effect by increasing the standard depth of the kitchen thus visually creating some kind of closet containing all of the kitchen equipment.
The Furniture
The place has plenty of unique furniture pieces defining the character of the couple who prefers things with stories behind them. One of the examples are hundred years old armchairs made by Pierre Jeanneret which we found at the flea market in Paris and which underwent full restoration in Kyiv.
The bar stools hint at the couple's penchant for cute, private hangouts and the laconic dressing area rich in vegetation does so too. With the right lighting (like pink and purple plant lamps), the apartment turns into an artsy space no worse than at any trendy establishment.
The Details
One of the main things we had to think of extremely carefully was coving which the couple had inherited from the previous owner of the apartment. Most of it could not be restored and needed to undergo more serious process so we had to carefully remove it, as well as its matrix and reinstall it by hand.
The windows were the thing that neither we nor our customers wanted to change. They looked shabby, but still really impressive and played a key role in creating the atmosphere we aimed at. We applied a technique of repeating the shapes of the windows for the doorways in order to create a balanced space.
The parquet could not be restored but its replacement did not affect the general concept in any way, because the apartment looks quite modern thanks to the drywall structures.
We also installed the lighting along all plaster slab constructions which performs several functions. Among them are practical, which enables evening lighting, and decorative as we wanted to focus visual attention on the original coving and the lighting performed this task quite well.
To add some personality to the common room we put a colourful but still minimalistic drawing on its wall. Having other walls free of details the owners have a possibility to hang some other paintings or sketches they will collect with time.
The Workplace
The workplace is quite modest as the owners are mature enough not to spend hours working from home. They might need it to draw some sketches or type an article so it serves more like a place where they organise the tasks of a personal nature rather than of a work one.
The Sleeping zone
The sleeping area is surrounded by the windows giving the owners one more opportunity to enjoy the old town views. The curtain shaped as a curve which emphasizes the soft lines of the space can both help maintain the privacy of the sleeping zone and highlight attachment of the bed to the common area.
The Bathroom
The entrance to the bathroom is located behind the closet hiding the room from guests’ eyes. The principle of the room stays the same as of the flat itself which is less details but still full functionality. The furniture was chosen on the basis of utility as well as minimalistic style.
The Template of materials
