The apartment is located in Minsk on the 4th floor of a modern multi-apartment building which is part of the ‘Levada’ residential complex. The total area of the apartment is 63.68 sq m.
The client contacted me straight after purchasing the apartment. The apartment was unfinished, with the developer's rough finishing. One of the advantages of the space is its favorable southeast orientation. I immediately noticed the natural light in the apartment, which became an important aspect for subsequent functional zoning and plastic shaping.
The interior was designed for a young man. The client works in logistics and leads an active lifestyle. He enjoys ballet, loves music, and plays the piano. He formulated his initial request as follows: "The aesthetics of your projects and your approach to work deeply resonate with me. I want an interior in your signature style”. First, we developed a detailed technical specification, then agreed on the planning solution and renderings without any further corrections.
The apartment underwent a complete remodeling with the reorganization of functional zones. The remodeling received an official approval of the authorities in charge, and the owner obtained a new technical passport. While developing the layout, I created a scenario for the gradual unveiling of spaces. The concept is based on a clear delineation of three zones: a localized entryway, a common kitchen-living room area, and a private master bedroom area. A combined bathroom and a separate utility room with a washing machine and a dryer were also organized. Each separate zone was addressed by highlighting large, integral volumes and coordinating their spatial proportions.
Kitchen area
The kitchen with an island and a comfortable seating area are combined in a single space.
When designing the kitchen, I was inspired by ambient music featuring vintage analog synthesizers from the 1970s. I reflected this idea in the upper kitchen units, which evoke the image of a synthesizer keyboard. The golden unit accent serves as a visual metaphor for the ‘tonic’ – the main, sustained note of a musical piece. The vertical offset of this unit enhances both the visual and semantic emphasis. The façade of the ‘tonic’ unit is made of stainless steel with a titanium nitride (TiN) coating. This vacuum deposition of a durable compound of titanium and nitrogen gives the metal components a golden color, high wear resistance, and corrosion resistance.
The kitchen's main color is a complex shade of green, contrasting with the black. The light fixture above the sink is from the Italian brand Vistosi.
The linear kitchen layout is complemented by an island with additional storage units and an oven. The kitchen cabinets are made of painted MDF. The kitchen countertop and island are made of quartz agglomerate. The island is complemented by ‘Afteroom’ chairs from the Danish brand Audo Copenhagen. On the wall at the end of the island is a ‘Potence pivotante’ lamp from the Italian brand NEMO, designed by Charlotte Perriand. Built-in plaster lamps from the Italian brand Panzeri provide overhead functional lighting. A ‘BISSECTRISA’ fruit bowl from the Belarusian brand ZAPAZUHA serves as an additional compositional accent on the island.
Kitchen appliances: BOSCH dishwasher, built-in LIEBHERR refrigerator, ELECTROLUX oven, MIELE induction hob.
Living area
Opposite the kitchen is a seating area. The main elements of the composition here are the modular ‘ZAVALINOK’ sofa and the ‘STOIK’ table from the brand ZAPAZUHA. The unique and key feature of this space is that the ‘ZAVALINOK’ sofa can be configured freely and can be used as either a separate armchair or a sofa, depending on the needs. The floor is covered with a woolen carpet from Naples.
On the wall in the sofa area is ‘The Divers’ painting by Belarusian artist Kirill Khlopov. Nearby are the ‘Ok’ lamps from the Italian brand Flos. It is a modern interpretation of the iconic ‘Parentesi’ lamp (1971), designed by Konstantin Grcic in 2014.
Opposite the sofa is a sliding door made of Japanese AGC glass. Behind the door is a bookcase which contains literature related to the client's interests – ballet, art, architecture, and design – as well as decorative elements. Here we see ceramic vases by Belarusian designer Yuri Alekhno and a portable lamp from the Italian brand Flos.
The flooring in the kitchen-living room is ‘Ter Hurne’ engineered wood from the German brand Hywood by. The walls and the ceiling are finished with matte acrylic paint from the Italian brand Oikos. The invisible ceiling doors are from the Belarusian company Holzberg. The door handles are from the Italian brand Forme.
The project features LS ZERO sockets and switches from the German manufacturer JUNG. This is a designer version of the classic LS 990 series, with the option of concealed, flush-mounted installation, where the frame and the wall create a uniform seamless surface.
Bedroom
The main focal point of the entryway is a custom bed with hidden bedside tables and a decorative accent light at the headboard. This bed is called "RAMP" and is part of the "Proletarian" collection from my brand, ZAPAZUHA. When designing this bed, I was inspired by the unloading ramp of a Soviet grocery store. The upholstered headboard with fold-out tables concealing the electrical components is upholstered in premium, durable Spanish fabric. The decorative light at the headboard is made of Japanese "AGC" glass and is equipped with cables that attach to the ceiling. The bed base was sized to accommodate an orthopedic mattress. On the left, at the headboard, there is a reading sconce and a decorative pendant light from CENTERSVET. The linen bed linen is from Line&You.
Opposite the bed is a "ZYR" sconce from ZAPAZUHA, beneath which a synthesizer is located. To the right of the bed, behind the solid doors of the built-in wardrobe, is a wardrobe for clothes and bedding. The floor is covered with a natural wool rug imported from Turkey.
The flooring is "Ter Hurne" engineered wood from the German brand Hywood by. The walls and ceiling are finished with matte acrylic paint from the Italian brand Oikos. The windows are decorated with Italian textiles made of natural cotton with a blackout effect. The built-in plaster lamps are from the Italian brand Panzeri.
Bathroom
The main focal point of the bathroom is the floating ‘hygiene module’, which I designed for this interior, with a custom-made slit sink. The frame is made of painted MDF. The countertop is made of acrylic stone. The ‘hygiene module’ is highly functional, featuring storage systems and hidden outlets for charging devices. The faucets and the shower set are from the Spanish brand Tres, and the acrylic bathtub is from Villeroy & Boch. The heated towel rail is from the Italian brand Margaroli. The wall-hung toilet is from the Italian brand Alice Ceramica. The installation and flush plate are from TECE. To the right of the sink is a ‘Parentesi’ light fixture from the Italian brand Flos. The floor is Mistone porcelain tile. The walls are finished with Marazzi ceramic tiles and Oikos moisture-resistant paint matching the color of the tiles.
Entryway, dressing room, hallway, utility room
The entryway is organized in such a way that upon entering the apartment, a person doesn't see the other rooms. I call this scenario "anti-courier." I compositionally highlighted this area with a blue frame and placed a salmon-colored "ZYR" lamp by the Belarusian brand ZAPAZUHA as an accent. To the left of the entrance, a trapezoidal mirror module effectively refracts and visually enlarges the space. It provides organized storage for small items and conceals the power and low-voltage panels. The flooring in the hallway is tinted microcement.
Continuing from the front door, we see walk-in closet facades from floor to ceiling with accent milled handles. Entering the apartment, immediately opposite the front door, we are greeted by a painting by Belarusian artist Gennady Duk, "Non-Artificial Intelligence." We used a "Bit" table made of recycled plastic from Normann Copenhagen in place of the usual ottoman. Next to the hallway is a closed utility room with a washer and dryer.
The overall mood of the interior, design techniques, and color palette.
For me, the most important thing in this interior is its mood. The main idea was to create a minimalist, yet emotional and dynamic interior.
My main compositional techniques included proportionality, frames, and color blocking, as well as active color contrasts and graphic elements. I based the interior's color palette on contrasting combinations with distinct color dominants. Each room develops its own color scheme and mood, united by a common design concept.
The project focused on the product design, utilizing both renowned European manufacturers and furniture and decor pieces from my brand, ZAPAZUHA. Individual pieces were created specifically for this project.
I'm pleased that I was able to fully realize the client's request and my vision, in terms of integrity and unity of the image. The project was implemented 100% in accordance with the design and the original concept, without any compromises or changes.
Design: Mihail Kurnosov
Photo: Andrey Kot
Photoshoot Stylist: Tatiana Guzik
