Houzz Tour: A Small Apartment Makes Room for the Important Things
The owners of this Russian studio knew exactly what they wanted. Full-size bedroom? Check. TV and dishwasher? Not needed
Elena Kareva and Alexander Romanov, pictured, work for an airline. To make their commute to work at Sheremetyevo International Airport more comfortable, the couple bought their first apartment together in the nearby city of Khimki, about 13 miles northwest of Moscow.
They initially tried to design the interior layout themselves, but once they got the keys to the apartment, they decided not to take risks with the electricity and plumbing, and they turned to professionals instead.
An internet search brought them to a Space for Life studio project on Houzz in nearby Dolgoprudny. Kareva and Romanov liked the designers’ clever approach to small spaces. “As a result, everything turned out exactly the way we wanted: It’s simple, unpretentious and full of light,” Kareva says.
The work took three months. “This project is a very rare example of when the design on paper and the real-life interior are like two peas in a pod,” says Ivan Proskurin, one of the designers involved in the project. “We carefully planned and designed the space, calculating everything to the nearest inch with a view to comfort of use. Usually, it is necessary to make adjustments during the work, and it sometimes even happens that as ideas develop, eventually nothing remains of the original plan.”
Find a designer for your project
They initially tried to design the interior layout themselves, but once they got the keys to the apartment, they decided not to take risks with the electricity and plumbing, and they turned to professionals instead.
An internet search brought them to a Space for Life studio project on Houzz in nearby Dolgoprudny. Kareva and Romanov liked the designers’ clever approach to small spaces. “As a result, everything turned out exactly the way we wanted: It’s simple, unpretentious and full of light,” Kareva says.
The work took three months. “This project is a very rare example of when the design on paper and the real-life interior are like two peas in a pod,” says Ivan Proskurin, one of the designers involved in the project. “We carefully planned and designed the space, calculating everything to the nearest inch with a view to comfort of use. Usually, it is necessary to make adjustments during the work, and it sometimes even happens that as ideas develop, eventually nothing remains of the original plan.”
Find a designer for your project
The owners got the apartment from the property developer as a concrete box with a clear layout: a room on the left and the kitchen, bathroom and separate water closet on the right.
The owners wanted to sleep on a normal bed, however, and not have to pull one out of a sleeper sofa every night. They also didn’t want to give up on having a proper living space. Combining two zones with different functions was therefore the project’s main challenge.
The owners wanted to sleep on a normal bed, however, and not have to pull one out of a sleeper sofa every night. They also didn’t want to give up on having a proper living space. Combining two zones with different functions was therefore the project’s main challenge.
A Bedroom Gets Priority
There were two possible ways to fit a bedroom into this small space: in an alcove or as a partitioned unit, which was the solution they went for. The glass wall creates a sense of spaciousness, but the bedroom can be concealed with a curtain when friends come over.
The team didn’t skimp on bedroom materials but neither did it go over the top. One of the main expenses was the welded partition: This kind of divider can cost about $30 per square foot, but it has paid off.
The partition is sturdy, and the glass panels are installed tightly and safely in place. Yet it’s easy to remove and replace any damaged panes in the future. A section of the partition swings open, serving as the bedroom door.
There were two possible ways to fit a bedroom into this small space: in an alcove or as a partitioned unit, which was the solution they went for. The glass wall creates a sense of spaciousness, but the bedroom can be concealed with a curtain when friends come over.
The team didn’t skimp on bedroom materials but neither did it go over the top. One of the main expenses was the welded partition: This kind of divider can cost about $30 per square foot, but it has paid off.
The partition is sturdy, and the glass panels are installed tightly and safely in place. Yet it’s easy to remove and replace any damaged panes in the future. A section of the partition swings open, serving as the bedroom door.
The couple were able to save on wallpaper by painting the accent wall with a stencil in the same shade of green as the wall in the living room. It was a difficult and time-consuming job: The stencil was small, and they had to wait for the paint to dry before going on to the next section of the pattern. The larger the stencil, the more expensive it is, but it is also easier to work with.
See how to stencil a wall
See how to stencil a wall
The curtain on the inside of the partition protects the bedroom from the sun and hides it from view.
A forced-ventilation system feeds air into the bedroom. The owners say they rarely use it, however, as the partition is not hermetically sealed and therefore lets in sufficient fresh air.
A forced-ventilation system feeds air into the bedroom. The owners say they rarely use it, however, as the partition is not hermetically sealed and therefore lets in sufficient fresh air.
Most of the furniture in the apartment is from Ikea. The dark green Kareva and Romanov chose for the living room wall is a neutral and classic color from Tikkurila that will continue to be fashionable for many years to come.
Note that there is no TV in front of the sofa. Although their friends and colleagues are still surprised by that, the owners say they don’t need one.
Read about decorating with green
Note that there is no TV in front of the sofa. Although their friends and colleagues are still surprised by that, the owners say they don’t need one.
Read about decorating with green
Cooking Takes a Back Seat
To keep the feeling of space and visual lightness, the kitchen-dining room was combined with the living room. The owners don’t cook a lot, so they focused on aesthetics in designing this space. They even refused to have a dishwasher since they don’t use many dishes.
To keep the feeling of space and visual lightness, the kitchen-dining room was combined with the living room. The owners don’t cook a lot, so they focused on aesthetics in designing this space. They even refused to have a dishwasher since they don’t use many dishes.
The refrigerator is the only tall feature in the kitchen. The plumbing and appliances are built into the lower cabinets, and the upper shelves are used to store kitchenware and spices.
The ceilings throughout are 9 feet high.
Browse display and wall shelves
The ceilings throughout are 9 feet high.
Browse display and wall shelves
There is laminate flooring throughout the apartment, and the walls are painted. This was driven by considerations of style and functionality: The laminate will last longer than parquet in the hallway, for example.
A large built-in closet with mirrored doors is the apartment’s main storage unit. The owners went for swinging rather than sliding doors so that the doors would create a sleek surface when closed.
Browse laminate flooring
A large built-in closet with mirrored doors is the apartment’s main storage unit. The owners went for swinging rather than sliding doors so that the doors would create a sleek surface when closed.
Browse laminate flooring
Both the bathroom and the separate water closet are small, so it wasn’t easy to find a good spot for the washing machine. It’s perpendicular to the vanity and parallel to the bathtub, doubling as a countertop.
The washing machine and the vanity are at different heights. This multilevel counter not only adds an interesting decorative accent, but it also provides an additional storage surface.
The washing machine and the vanity are at different heights. This multilevel counter not only adds an interesting decorative accent, but it also provides an additional storage surface.
In the two-piece water closet, simple fixtures and a narrow sink leave room to move around.
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Who lives here: Elena Kareva and Alexander Romanov
Location: Khimki, Russia
Size: About 345 square feet (32 square meters), with a balcony of about 50 square feet (4.6 square meters)
Designers: Ivan Proskurin and Ekaterina Irtiugo of Space for Life