Designer Ulyana Stepanishcheva designed an apartment for a holiday in the village of Livadia. From the balcony and from the panoramic windows, you can enjoy a stunning view of the sea. In the interior, you can observe modern materials with characteristic details, as well as IKEA furniture, which literally cannot be recognized.

Customers and tasks 

The owners of this apartment in a new residential complex in Livadia (a village in Bolshaya Yalta, on the Southern coast of Crimea) are a married couple. They work for a consulting firm, often remotely. The apartment was supposed to be for recreation, but at the same time for remote work. The couple turned to designer Ulyana Stepanishcheva with several tasks. First, to allocate a separate bedroom on a small area. Secondly, to provide two workplaces, remote from each other, so that one can rest and the other can work. Thirdly, it was necessary to have a guest sleeping place with the possibility of isolating it from the kitchen. They also wanted to “present” the view from the windows in the interior as much as possible and be able to remotely control the temperature and water in the apartment without a smart home system. 

Layout

Initially, there were no partitions or specific zones on the plan from the developer. But there was a large open balcony. The house was built according to an individual project, the designer made the layout convenient for the spouses, and after agreeing it with the developer, changes were made to the house project. Then the object was put on cadastral registration, so there was no documented redevelopment, the zones seemed to have been in their original places. The designer warns that this is an extremely rare case.

So, according to the layout, a bedroom with a dressing room is separated from the designer. The kitchen is located in the center of the studio, and on the right is the living room-study area. The bathroom area was allocated to the right of the entrance, where communications were located. At the same time, the sink in the kitchen is located next to the bathroom, so that communications did not have to be “pulled” through the apartment. The working areas were decorated in the bedroom (a small table) and by the window in the living room-kitchen. Part of the open balcony was “attached” to the living room and glazed, making panoramic windows.

Finishing

Paint was chosen for the walls in the apartment, and the accent areas were decorated with wallpaper. Wallpaper of a premium English brand, as well as a Swedish manufacturer, but in a small amount they allowed to fit into the budget. In the living room it is a geometric pattern, in the bedroom there is a bright floristry on the wall behind the bed. 

Tiles with a heating system were used for the floor in all rooms. There is no central heating in the house (another feature of this housing), and the floor is the main source of heat in winter. In summer, in hot weather, which is typical for this region, the tile will be pleasantly cold. All underfloor heating in the house and air conditioners have remote access via Wi-Fi. Thanks to this, you can turn on the heating in advance before arriving in the cold period, or vice versa, air conditioners before coming from the beach.

In the bathroom, the walls and floor are also decorated with tiles. 

Furniture and storage systems

“In general, I picked up modern furniture that leaves as much space as possible, and functional. From the very beginning, it was agreed that we are doing budget repairs, since this is not an apartment for permanent residence. Therefore, instead of built-in furniture and a custom kitchen, IKEA furniture was used, its dimensions were taken into account in the corridor and kitchen at the drawing stage. In the dining area, which is viewed directly from the entrance to the apartment, I put a small cafe table with a green jade countertop and Kartell chairs that leave open the aerial perspective outside the window,” says the designer.

Holiday apartment it seems that with such a concept of storage systems, you need a little. This is only partially true. The author of the project squeezed the maximum out of the area without forcing it with cabinets. So, in the hallway there is an IKEA wardrobe with mirrored facades (additional expansion of space), where one section is intended for storing household items, and a double one for the belongings of the owners and their possible guests. There is a pull-out section for shoes, as well as a separate shoe rack. 

In the living room-study area there is a mini-cabinet for documents. Its doors are decorated with the same wallpaper as the wall where this cabinet is installed. Thus, the object was “dissolved” in space. 

The kitchen set (also from IKEA, by the way) is built in parallel, glossy white facades reflect light, and an apron made of brass panels looks favorably on a light background of walls and furniture. The kitchen turned out to be compact, but spacious. Fit a full-size refrigerator. 

In the bedroom there is a separate dressing room for the owners’ everyday things. There is also a place for suitcases, a dryer and an ironing board. 

The loggia also provided storage for a small cabinet accommodates things for picnics. 

Lighting 

The main lighting was decided by built-in spotlights, I wanted to preserve the feeling of freedom and air, which could go away if there were large chandeliers. The pendant lamp is placed above the dining table, where it also decorates the space. And also between the kitchen and the living room, in this area the suspensions also act as zoning elements. Additional scenarios are solved zonally: mainly in the form of sconces by the sofa and bed.

Decor

“When choosing the decor, I wanted to show that even with a small budget, you can fill the house with unique items. So a figure of Sasha Frolova and a vase of Eduard Eremchuk appeared in the interior. Vases in the study area and carpets in the bedroom from the collaboration of IKEA and designer Zandra Rose. Also in the interior there was an Aalto vase “Savoy”, the original design of which was developed by Alvar Aalto and his wife Aino in 1936 for a competition of glass designers. This vase is one of the most recognizable objects of Scandinavian design. And a handmade vase by the modern author Glashuset Lønstrup from Denmark in the bedroom. The carpet in the kitchen from La Redoute introduces an element of the game. On the wall there are works by Marina Tiik from the Art & Brut gallery. Blackout curtains are used in all rooms to protect from the bright summer sun, if necessary, a curtain between the kitchen and the living room, which, if guests arrive, makes the living area separate, calm and close to the walls in color,” says Ulyana.

Designer and stylist Ulyana Stepanishcheva, author of the project:

The main idea is to create a feeling of carelessness, a return to childhood, when life is simple and everything around is filled with bright colors and positive emotions. This is my first project that I conducted remotely, and at first it was not entirely clear how to organize the workflow. I didn’t have a database of local suppliers, I needed time to search. Unfortunately, I was faced with a more limited choice of finishing materials and furniture and longer delivery times than I was used to. As a result, some of the materials, for example, tiles, were purchased on the spot, and I sent some of them by the transport company. Furniture, light and decor came from Moscow. 

Balcony

Working area

Kitchen, view of the living room

Kitchen, view of the living room

Kitchen

Kitchen

Kitchen

View from the hallway to the kitchen

Bedroom

Bedroom

Bedroom

Bedroom

Hallway

Hallway

Hallway, bathroom door

Bathroom

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

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