The interior of this unusual apartment was created for a young couple of architects — Andrey and Ekaterina Zyrin, co-founders of STUDIO BLOK. This is their first home, so they wanted to implement bold professional ideas in the space. The material palette also turned out to be experimental: the studio team decided to use textures that would help to play up new technical solutions. At the same time, the design was supposed to become a comfortable place for the family to relax and spend their leisure time, reflecting their lifestyle.
Author: STUDIO BLOK Area: 81 m2 Photo: Maxim Loskutov
The distinctive feature of the object was the high four-meter ceilings, which allowed to create a mezzanine and increased the usable area. More ergonomic scenarios of movement around the house were provided by the staircase integrated into the wall, leading to the library and guest bedroom.
Layout
To make the layout more practical, the architects decided to build a small second level above the hallway and dressing room. When defining future functional zones, they started from their habits and rituals that determine the ways of interacting with space. Thus, the need for a separate storage system for books and a room for friends who might stay overnight became obvious.
Apartment plan with furniture
The core of the apartment is the combined kitchen-living room, which can be accessed from the asymmetrical hallway through a small corridor. On the sides of it, it was possible to allocate a guest bathroom and a dressing room.
Interior and solutions
Palette and context
The key material of the interior was micro concrete with a neat texture: it covers the floors, cabinets, and walls in the bathroom. To prevent the monochrome palette from looking boring, the STUDIO BLOK team painted the walls in contrasting tones. Ceramic tiles played a special role in the project: white ones were used in the kitchen unit area and colored ones on the accent countertop. At first glance, the simple combination of glossy and matte textures guarantees the durability and aesthetic purity of the design. The owners of the house adhere to the principles of functionalism, so they resolutely refuse any imitations: all surfaces are made of exactly what they seem.
It is important for homeowners to easily change the atmosphere in the interior, so LED lighting often appears in the project
The zoning issue is covered by modular storage systems, which were created taking into account the needs of architects. They emphasize functionality and the ability to adapt to different tasks. The wardrobe in the bedroom is also designed in an unusual way: dense facades are replaced by curtains, which allow you to quickly change the hanging configuration.
Kitchen-living room
The achromatic color scheme of the public space fills it with a sense of coziness due to the balance of velvety textures and stainless steel. White and gray shades visually enlarge the space. The designers were inspired to use monochrome colors by the general color palette of their studio's projects: the team works with bright concepts every day, and at home they make you want to relax.
However, it was not possible to completely avoid color here: the highlight of the interior was the dining table. It was made to order according to the author's sketches - the object associated with Soviet history is decorated with mosaics. The architects literally saved the latter during the demolition of the Hammer and Sickle plant. The whole team worked on recreating the pattern: it was partially destroyed and required restoration. Andrey Zyrin boldly took on this task, and, together with his wife, assembled ten similar segments. In this form, the art object arrived in Yekaterinburg, where it turned out that the blocks did not fit together into a single pattern. At this point, thoughts began about the value of the mosaic and whether it is lost over time. As a result, Ekaterina formulated for herself the idea of the timeless significance of historical decorative elements that are good even after transformation. It took as many as 340 hours of painstaking work to remove the parts from the old base, generate the pattern using a neural network, and adapt it to the layout. However, most of the time was spent on the restoration of each piece itself and its layout.
The table base was made by a furniture workshop according to the author's sketches.
Almost all the cabinet furniture in the project was custom-made by Daumier, as the façade abutments were calculated taking into account the specifics of the object. For example, kitchen cabinets inscribed in niches surround a dining group with chairs designed by Rene Herbst. Household appliances are placed in tall cabinets with minimalist doors, and the role of the work surface goes to the tabletop above a row of lower sections.
Black accents added depth and severity to the composition.
Another original design element is the custom tiles in the kitchen. They depict details of the designers' favorite projects. At the same time, the theme of vintage items runs through the entire project like a red thread.
Bedroom
Despite the ascetic color scheme, the hosts' room is filled with a soft and relaxed atmosphere. It is formed by textiles - thick black curtains and translucent white curtains. One of them masks the wardrobe area with minimalist storage systems. According to the architects' idea, the interior, free of unnecessary details, will become a corner for relaxation from the rhythm of the big city.
The expressive decorative items found by the project team have historical or personal value. The table lamp "Salut" and gifts from loved ones - Kasli casting, "Zenit" cameras, books, crystal tableware, and brass candlesticks - were especially close in spirit to the owners of the house.
Cabinet
Both spouses can sometimes work from home, so a separate office was a must. The intimacy of the design is created by the pink spotlight, and the metal grid for notes adds individuality. In addition to stickers and daily plans, it is decorated with photographs and memorable postcards from travels.
Bathroom
Simplicity and ergonomics were the main principles in the design of the bathrooms. Contrasting partitions and accent lighting are hidden behind the concealed doors. They highlight the free-standing bathtub with black mixers from Mike&Jake and Bagnolux.
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