Lyalin Apt.

A medium-sized top-floor apartment looks out on the historical centre of Moscow. Alas, the original interior decoration was destroyed as was the context of an early 20th century apartment block. 

It is a typical bachelor pad suited for one or two people, and this inspired us to make the light from the three windows penetrate into all the rooms creating a totally translucent space. We decided to move the kitchen area into the centre of the flat with the light coming from transom windows on two opposite sides: one is looking out on a room window while the other – on the entrance door. Thus, the day light from the room window gets through into the entrance hall. The interior doors with transom windows are another architectural element adding to the translucence of the space and turning an ordinary interior door into a portal.

All elements of the decoration were selected with great care to leave only what was strictly necessary and avoid anything superfluous. To make a white flat with a lot of light cosy and snug we chose an unusual kind of wood floor boards made of African teak (Iroko). The wood floor undertones give warmth to the strict architecture of the portal-like interior doors, apertures and white mass of the walls.

In juxtaposition to the architectural design, we fitted out the flat with furniture and lighting pieces that are very different in texture, materials and styles. It is this juxtaposition that lends the projects its unique and recognizable flavour and reflects the character of its owner. 

Blockstudio