The designer designed a practical interior in which the owner’s private area is separated from the general one, where he could arrange parties and invite guests. The interior is built on a combination of black color, bright accents and textured materials. 

Customer and tasks

This apartment in one of the residential complexes of St. Petersburg was purchased by a mother as a gift for her son, a 25-year-old guy. And I turned to designer Nikolai Sorokin in order to design the interior. The future owner had practically no wishes, except for one “I want a black bedroom!” 

The lifestyle and hobbies of the young man dictated certain requirements for the interior. The guy loves parties, and the apartment should fit, be practical and easy to clean. We also formulated specific requirements for the functionality: a modern TV area with high-quality surround sound and a soft sofa and a place for online games with a powerful computer and a comfortable armchair for long games. We also needed a place to relax, where you can retire, have a cup of coffee or smoke a hookah, and a comfortable bedroom with the opportunity to sleep even during the day. 

Redevelopment

According to the original plan, it was a spacious one-bedroom apartment with two bathrooms and a large kitchen. “After discussing the wishes and a story about the lifestyle of a young man, the main task was determined to divide the apartment space into personal and general. In such a way that third-party people do not have access to the personal belongings of the owner of the apartment,” the author of the project comments.

To do this, redevelopment was done. The common space includes an entrance hall with a guest bathroom, a kitchen and a living room, where a workplace with a computer was placed. And from the same room you can get to the loggia. The guest bathroom was enlarged due to the corridor to fit the laundry area there, and the entrance to the living room was moved to isolate the private part.

The private space includes a bedroom, its own bathroom and a corridor that connects them. A door was made to this corridor with a lock so that the owner can literally lock this area when he gathers guests. Also, during the redevelopment, a niche was formed in the bedroom for a built-in storage system. 

Finishing

“The finishing materials were supposed to ensure the “survivability” of the apartment. All the decoration is vandal-proof,” comments Nikolai. 

For bathrooms, porcelain stoneware has traditionally been chosen. In the bathroom under gray marble, in the bathroom under black. Also, the porcelain tile was laid on the floor in the hallway. “The hallway room traditionally has to be cleaned very often, dust and sand are brought in from the street. To avoid frequent cleaning, I suggested a material on which it is not so noticeable. Porcelain stoneware with imitation of gray concrete was perfect for this task,” explains the author of the project. 

In the living room and the adjacent corridor quartz vinyl. Another practical material that is not afraid of water and dirt. The finish was laid with a single canvas without thresholds. “With active and not careful operation, the sills are the first to fly off on the floor. We couldn’t let that happen. An additional advantage of this material is that it absorbs noise unlike laminate,” the designer comments. 

A self-leveling floor was chosen for the kitchen. The coating is heavy-duty, an analogue of what is used in industrial warehouses. “He has a very high stability, explains Nikolai. In addition, we got rid of the seams on the floor. Most often there is granite in the kitchen, and over time the grout between the seams changes color, gets dirty. To prevent this from happening, you need to clean up very carefully and thoroughly. In our case, it was unacceptable.” Laminate flooring was chosen for the bedroom. 

The walls are decorated with decorative plaster and micro cement, both finishes were additionally coated with vandal-proof impregnation, which made them practically “unkillable” and easy to care for. In addition, decorative plaster allowed to “play” with textures. For example, in the living room it imitates concrete, and in the kitchen there are copper panels in the TV area. 

The decorative brick in the dining area in the kitchen, on the wall behind the TV in the living room and behind the headboard in the bedroom added volume and texture to the project. The semantic accents were two works made by artists in the style of graffiti on the wall in the kitchen and loggia.

The ceilings are decorated in different ways. In the bedroom, living room and on the loggia they are black, painted. In the kitchen, in the kitchen set area and in the hallway, an imitation of concrete was made. In the bathrooms, partially in the living room and in the rest of the kitchen space, the ceilings are classic white. 

Furniture and storage systems

“First of all, storage systems meet the same principles of vandalism and convenience of cleaning. All cabinet furniture for this project is designed individually,” explains Nikolai.

A closet was provided in the hallway, where there is a place for outerwear, small items like keys, umbrellas, as well as oversized suitcases (on the mezzanine). In the living room there are cabinets and a TV stand, as well as a rack behind the desk. “The cabinet body is hidden behind a welded metal frame, as it were. On the one hand, it increases the strength of the furniture, on the other it adds a brutal charm to the room, emphasizing the uncompromising nature of the chosen male style,” the designer comments. 

In the corridor of the private part of the apartment there is a wardrobe for sports equipment, in the bedroom there is a built-in wardrobe, its facades are painted in the color of the walls. This made it possible to visually dissolve a large piece of furniture in the space. The author of the project says that the cabinet has a secret: “If you open the doors, we will see the cabinet body made under a light tree. And if you pull out the drawers, we will see a bright red color. This is a small color and positive secret of this outwardly black cabinet.”

The kitchen set was made angular with a bar counter. Facades were chosen from modern plastic with a regenerating coating, another attribute of practicality in this apartment. We provided all the necessary equipment, although, according to the author of the project, we did it “just in case.” The owner only needed a coffee machine. 

“Upholstered furniture and chairs fell into the category of “consumable items”. The sofa for the kitchen, bar stools, dining chairs were purchased from IKEA. Sofa in the living room with vandal-proof coating, while very comfortable, ” adds the author of the project. 

Lighting

Each room has several lighting scenarios: general ceiling light, zoned (by functional zones) and decorative.

The common ones include ceiling built-in and overhead lights. For lighting by functional zones, lamps over the dining table, suspensions over the bar, lighting under the upper cabinets of the kitchen set. Hanging lamps on the sides of the bed are placed in the bedroom. Ceiling and wall sconces, which can be adjusted, above the sofa and work desk in the living room. Decorative lighting is in the niche behind the TV.

 Textiles and decor

“The general requirements for textiles were simple, easy-to-care fabrics, on which dust settles less. Special attention was paid to the bedroom, it was necessary to choose blackout curtains that completely block the light from the window, even during the day. This contributes to a comfortable daytime sleep,” says Nikolai. These wishes have been fulfilled.

The author of the project gave a separate role to the paintings. They are written by artists specifically for this project. “The paintings carry a certain message that the viewer can decipher independently. Everyone will see something different. Even a person who is far from art has appreciated and is no longer ready to part with any of these works,” says Nikolai.

Architect-designer Nikolay Sorokin, author of the project:

This apartment, the design project and its implementation was a gift from a mother for her son. The guy who was going to live here said only one thing — I want a completely black bedroom. At a personal meeting, it became clear from his wardrobe that he likes black. And when communicating, an interesting detail turned out: all his socks, and for a very long time, are red and only red. In this I saw the idea for the interior. For example, you can pay attention to the ceiling in the hallway and corridor. An open wiring in a red braid is made. And this is just one piquant detail of the project. “I dream of living in such an apartment, if not for my family and children,” this phrase was often heard in this apartment. Art always evokes emotions. This project does not leave anyone indifferent. Someone is horrified by his gloominess. Someone admires his courage.

Kitchen

Kitchen

Kitchen

Kitchen

Kitchen

Kitchen

Hallway-corridor

Living room

Living room

Living room

Living room

Bedroom

Bedroom

Bathroom

Bathroom

Bathroom

Bathroom

The editorial board warns that in accordance with the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, coordination of ongoing alterations and alterations is required.

Original content from the site