NIKITSKAYA
Location
Moscow
Area
50.9 sq. m
Rooms
2
Ceiling height
3.20 m
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The brief was to create an interior in the spirit of old Moscow for a young woman, while seamlessly incorporating a collection of paintings that belonged to the owner. We also needed to find sufficient storage space and create a dedicated shower area. The first challenge was met through rich, complex tones in the finishes and a thoughtful mix of classic and contemporary furniture. The second – through a minor re‑planning of the layout.
LAYOUT
The main features of the original layout were irregularly shaped rooms and a slanted wall in the hallway, which made the passage into the main part of the apartment extremely narrow. We made a few changes. The kitchen entrance was relocated to the living room – since the kitchen has a gas stove, fully combining it with the living space was not possible under current regulations, so we separated it with tall swing doors. The owner does not use a bathtub, and after widening the hallway passage, the bathroom became rather compact – under three square metres – so we opted for a shower cabin instead of a bath.
To install the shower, the builders fitted a tray with an inspection access hatch within a lightweight structure – reducing the load on the floor slab. Where the original corridor had been, we placed a built‑in wardrobe with a washing machine and a small dressing area. The main walk‑in wardrobe was located in the bedroom.
COLOUR
The colour scheme was designed to provide a sympathetic backdrop for the artworks. The kitchen, living room, and hallway were painted in a complex dusty grey shade, helping to unify the spaces and visually enlarge them. The bedroom and the main dressing room were finished in a deep grey‑olive tone, while the bathroom was designed in contrasting black and warm dusty pink.
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FINISHING MATERIALS
Engineered wood flooring was laid throughout – the most practical option among natural timber finishes. Walls in all rooms were painted – we chose Little Greene paint for its quality. In the bathroom, we used a combination of tiles and paint, striking a balance between practicality and a warm, cosy feel.
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KITCHEN
The initial goal was to create a highly minimalist kitchen that wouldn't feel like a typical cooking space. So we concealed all cabinets, shelving, the washing machine, and the ventilation duct behind a unified façade system in a refined neutral grey tone. The upper cabinets with the integrated extractor hood were kept clean and contemporary in style.
LIVING ROOM
We removed the wall between the living room and hallway to make the originally modest‑sized living room feel more spacious. As a result, the living room gained two windows – but their differing heights and sizes required a solution that would balance the proportions. We deliberately avoided symmetry (as classical interiors often demand), allowing us to subtly mask the uneven window dimensions.
STORAGE
For storage, we relied on walk‑in wardrobes fitted with Elfa shelving systems. Several built‑in kitchen cabinets were custom‑made by a joinery workshop. In the bathroom, the storage niche was closed with mirror doors – visually expanding the compact space.
DECOR
The artworks themselves became the primary decorative feature. The electrical panel in the hallway was concealed behind a custom metal panel crafted from different types of metal, designed and specified by us.
