A Moscow Apartment Inspired by Japan
Finding the perfect balance between Japanese minimalism and Russian design, this home brings together the family's favourite things
This apartment, with a view of the Moscow State University, is home to a family of four. The father is a former diplomat, and the mother is an Eastern scholar and historian. Together with their children, aged 13 and 15, they have travelled a lot, and even lived in Japan for four years.
The aesthetics of a Japanese home left its mark in the hearts of all the family members. So when it came time to remodel, interior designer Ariana Ahmad and architect Tatiana Karyakina received a very clear brief. The core of the Japanese style is a minimalist, clean-lined space, lending concise form and color palette to the entire interior.
The aesthetics of a Japanese home left its mark in the hearts of all the family members. So when it came time to remodel, interior designer Ariana Ahmad and architect Tatiana Karyakina received a very clear brief. The core of the Japanese style is a minimalist, clean-lined space, lending concise form and color palette to the entire interior.
The owners envisioned their new apartment interior as ergonomic and hi-tech. To ensure it had the right feel, they took an active part in the design process. They had brought with them from Japan some finishes and elements of décor, including handmade wallpaper. Back in Japan, they had also acquired a print for the tokonoma. A tokonoma is a small alcove, one of the key traditional architectural elements of an upper-class Japanese home.
Wood is another essential staple of a Japanese home. It is more than just a token of nature in one’s living space; wood is an art object and a symbol of vitality. It also symbolises the grandeur, beauty, and power with which nature endows all living things. The clients had brought their own bonsai trees back from Japan.
All the furniture was custom-made in Russia, but designed in a Japanese style. “We worked together with Russian carpenters,” Ahmad says. “We spent a long time sketching things out and going to exhibitions. We ended up with exceptionally elegant furniture that is both natural and completely functional. It is coated with natural wax, which protects it from dust and mechanical damage.”
Two ergonomic Finnish armchairs upholstered in bright fabrics give the space a certain zest and a contemporary, Scandinavian vibe. The children in the family have popular interests as well: they love soccer and enjoy creative endeavours. The older one pursues music, while the younger one is passionate about drawing.
Two ergonomic Finnish armchairs upholstered in bright fabrics give the space a certain zest and a contemporary, Scandinavian vibe. The children in the family have popular interests as well: they love soccer and enjoy creative endeavours. The older one pursues music, while the younger one is passionate about drawing.
The home has another peculiar feature. To be more exact, it forgoes an element most Russians are accustomed to: there are no skirting boards. The designers say they addressed the floor-wall junction by recessing the floor boards and tiles. They had the edges finished and trimmed in chrome in the form of a reflecting angle piece. A groove was also used at the-wall-to-ceiling junction and is made larger in certain places to accommodate accent lighting. According to the designers, this technique visually compartmentalises various areas of the home, as well as underscores spatial asymmetry.
In terms of the colour palette, the clients had a single request – neutral tones. But the use of bright-coloured accents were not ruled out. The kitchen is done in an opal palette, where the furniture is designed to blend in. The splashback is finished in white glass, not noticeable when viewed obliquely, and the front panels are made of painted MDF that also blend in.
Dining area and barstools: Potocco; light fixtures: Sectodesign; bed: Dorelan; sofa and children’s beds: Estetica
Dining area and barstools: Potocco; light fixtures: Sectodesign; bed: Dorelan; sofa and children’s beds: Estetica
The architect commissioned a carpentry shop to make the large mirror for the hallway. The hallway, incidentally, is an integral part of the entire space, rather than a forced necessity. It simultaneously sequesters and links the common area with the private quarters, containing the bedrooms, walk-in closets, and bathrooms.
Same as in the living room, the walls in the master bedroom feature handmade wallpaper, with sparseness that is pivotal to the overarching design concept. The Japanese believe that when a room is spacious and devoid of anything extraneous, one can better focus on one’s inner world.
“We paid a lot of attention to the play of light. Light dictates spatial dynamics,” Ahmad says. “We developed several lighting scenarios.” They strove to make the lighting fixtures not merely functional, but visually appealing. The sconces for the bedroom are bottle-shaped and resemble a papier-mâché finish. The clients had brought them back from another trip to their favourite country.
“We paid a lot of attention to the play of light. Light dictates spatial dynamics,” Ahmad says. “We developed several lighting scenarios.” They strove to make the lighting fixtures not merely functional, but visually appealing. The sconces for the bedroom are bottle-shaped and resemble a papier-mâché finish. The clients had brought them back from another trip to their favourite country.
The remodel included no bathtubs, since the owners requested only showers, once again adhering to the principle of “nothing extraneous”. In the main bathroom, the toilet was placed in a separate cubical concealed by a glass door. As in the other rooms, the lighting punctuates the space, with both spot light sources and recessed perimeter lighting.
“I feel that the space will gradually improve, as it becomes populated with details,” Ahmad says. “Over time our clients will acquire new favourite belongings, photographs, and souvenirs, for which they will easily find a place in their home.”
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Who lives here: A couple with two children, aged 13 and 15
Location: Moscow
Size: 156 square metres
Designers: Ariana Ahmad and Tatiana Karyakina
The designers say that their first step was to change the layout of the apartment. They joined the living room, kitchen, and dining room into a single space, adding on balconies and installing floor-to-ceiling windows. Ample amounts of sunlight coming through these windows allows the apartment to be viewed as a whole. When the homeowners wish to seclude themselves from the outside world, the windows can be made opaque by using a remote.
In addition to the new open-plan dining area, kitchen, and living room the apartment has a master bedroom, two children’s bedrooms, three bathrooms, a laundry room, and two walk-in closets.