This project offered almost ideal conditions: complete creative freedom and clients who made quick decisions. Their only wish was for a light-filled apartment with a sense of spaciousness.

The object was a 70-square-meter open-plan apartment in the center of Minsk. The key decision was to integrate the balcony into the main area — this allowed us to create a generous shared space, complemented by a guest room and a bedroom, while preserving a sense of lightness.

Since the apartment was intended only for occasional overnight stays, and the owners did not aim to invest in expensive brands, I had to design almost all the furniture myself. I created the sofa, coffee table, dining table, metal bed, a travertine washbasin, as well as several art objects. That washbasin was later presented at the Milan Salone and received an award in a local product design competition.

Art selection played a particularly important role. In the bedroom, we placed a chair, discovered at a contemporary art fair, and artist Lena Gil created the painting “Dinner” specifically for the project. The remaining art pieces I designed myself, experimenting with volumes, black steel, and stainless steel textures.

The main idea behind the finishes was a light and warm palette: white and light grey tones, no black, and exclusively matte surfaces. This base gave the interior softness and airiness. Bold asymmetrical furniture forms made the space expressive yet not overwhelming. Metal art objects added a touch of edge, while customized Viennese chairs, painted in two colors, became a vibrant contemporary accent.

Although the clients work with natural stone and initially wanted to use it extensively, I insisted on a more delicate approach. Stone was applied sparingly — on the kitchen countertop, dining table, and in the bathroom. This helped preserve a sense of lightness and purity without distracting from the furniture forms. Choosing the right shade was also challenging: it needed to harmonize with the muted palette without drawing too much attention.

The kitchen was designed to be as minimal as possible: no upper cabinets, a generous workspace, and a travertine countertop continuing the overall stone theme. The bathroom follows the same logic: a walk-in shower without a threshold and a statement travertine washbasin with two pedestals and a slot drain. All storage systems are hidden in niches, finished with the same matte plaster as the walls, creating cohesion and discretion.

Working with a compact space and low ceilings was not easy, but thanks to a thoughtful layout, color palette, and material choices, we achieved an impression of air and openness. Despite the freedom, the project was not without its challenges. I often had to make decisions on behalf of the clients, who agreed quickly without delving into details. Another challenge was the compressed timeline, dictated by the fast pace of the owners’ lives. It was especially demanding to balance this with the need to design almost all the furniture from scratch.

Perhaps this combination of circumstances — no reliance on brands, tight deadlines, and the necessity to work within constraints — is what helped create such a cohesive and unusual result.

In Blondie Space I was able to realize an ideal palette for a compact apartment, making it pure, light, and filled with air. Here I brought to life my long-standing ideas of asymmetrical furniture forms, achieving a radically contemporary and bold character. For me, this project became a creative manifesto: proof that the most interesting and daring solutions are often born from constraints.

Interior design - Vlad Kudin

Photography - Liza Kulenenok

Style - Alyona Versh

Minsk, Belarus
2025