Houzz Tour: An Open-plan Flat That Celebrates Bold, Quirky Style
Inspired by the owner’s travels to Bali, this bright, one-bed home, filled with pattern, has an uplifting feel
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 tranquillity of nature. “For us and for the owner, Bali is an island of inspiration. We love being there,” says designer Anton Korneev, who gave this flat its distinctive look.
The highlights of the apartment’s décor are a number of playful storybook elements.
“The storybook theme wasn’t identified clearly – it wasn’t something we aimed for,” Blokhina says. “Essentially, every designer is a magician who creates a unique fairytale for every customer. In this case, we tried to evoke 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 cloakroom is decorated with foxes and an enchanted city presides over the balcony. Surrounded by these cheery designs, it’s hard not to be transported back to childhood.
Browse a huge selection of wallpapers in the Houzz Shop
“The storybook theme wasn’t identified clearly – it wasn’t something we aimed for,” Blokhina says. “Essentially, every designer is a magician who creates a unique fairytale for every customer. In this case, we tried to evoke 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 cloakroom is decorated with foxes and an enchanted city presides over the balcony. Surrounded by these cheery designs, it’s hard not to be transported back to childhood.
Browse a huge selection of wallpapers in the Houzz Shop
The large living room fits the owner’s brief perfectly. It has a light-coloured wooden ceiling and a bamboo-silk rug on the floor. There’s also a bio fireplace (seen in a later photo), which suggests the rustic atmosphere of a country house. This is complemented by the barn-wood cupboards in the open-plan kitchen.
The designers eschewed wall units in order to create a sense of lightness. The resulting design doesn’t leave much space for storage, but it’s enough for the owner’s needs.
“We found the chairs for the dining area at a flea market. There are two pairs, one of which comes from [the Republic of] Georgia,” Blokhina says. “Our craftsmen restored them, painted them one colour and reupholstered them. We also covered the fridge with blackboard paint so the owner can draw on it or leave shopping lists. The striking copper ball lights by Tom Dixon reflect the entire room beautifully.”
The designers eschewed wall units in order to create a sense of lightness. The resulting design doesn’t leave much space for storage, but it’s enough for the owner’s needs.
“We found the chairs for the dining area at a flea market. There are two pairs, one of which comes from [the Republic of] Georgia,” Blokhina says. “Our craftsmen restored them, painted them one colour and reupholstered them. We also covered the fridge with blackboard paint so the owner can draw on it or leave shopping lists. The striking copper ball lights by Tom Dixon reflect the entire room beautifully.”
“Everyone participated in the creation of the design,” Korneev says. “For example, the kitchen worktop is lit by a fixture made from a water pipe, which the construction workers made on-site,”
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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,” Korneev says. It’s 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 cutsom-made by Indonesian craftsmen. The inside of the white plaster fireplace is dressed with distressed mirrors, which create a beautiful effect when the candles inside are lit. It makes the whole thing look deeper and wider.
“Try to spot the TV,” Korneev says. It’s 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 cutsom-made by Indonesian craftsmen. The inside of the white plaster fireplace is dressed with distressed mirrors, which create a beautiful effect when the candles inside are lit. It makes the whole thing look deeper and wider.
The bed and shelving unit, the vanity unit in the bathroom, plus doors and wardrobes are just some of the items in the flat 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,” Korneev says. “The picture with the frogs came from the island. Its background is an authentic Balinese newspaper.”
To hide the multi-angled layout
of the entrance hall and the corridor, the designers 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,” Blokhina says.
of the entrance hall and the corridor, the designers 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,” Blokhina says.
In the bathroom, 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 flat is equipped with a central sound system that can be controlled with a smartphone.
Of course, terraces on 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,” Blokhina says. “The balcony balustrade is made of glass panels with minimal framework in order to preserve the lightness and airiness of the structure and let the maximum amount of daylight into the home.
“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.
“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?
Tell us…
What do you think of this whimsical home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What do you think of this whimsical home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here The owner of an advertising agency
Location Moscow, Russia
Size 807 sq ft (75 sq m), with 10ft-high (3m-high) ceilings
Designers Anton Korneev and Ekaterina Blokhina of Korneev Design Workshop
Photos by Mikhail Stepanov
The owner wanted to recreate the spirit of a Bali villa in the heart of Moscow. The designers accomplished just that, with a large living area, a division of space into public and private zones, 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,” Korneev says. “We swapped the locations of the kitchen and the bathroom and everything fell into place.”