Starting a new chapter in life after the kids have left home is not easy, to say the least. But it really helps when you start anew with an amazing apartment that can finally be grown-up-friendly, elegant and unique.
Some would say life begins at 50. For this mom of two, from south-central Israel, that is especially true. Once her kids moved out, she decided to purchase a modern, four-bedroom, mini penthouse (120 sqm plus 80 sqm balconies) instead of her country house, make some accommodations for their occasional visits, without compromising her dream-house wishes.
As soon as you enter this gorgeous home, designed by architect Tal Ohayon in cooperation with Hazak studio, it is obvious that the mission was accomplished beautifully. "Moving into an apartment from a big house is not trivial and involves reorganizing and reconsidering the use of your existing furniture etc.", says Ohayon. That being said, the main purpose was to create a loving home, with a boutique-suite feel that will make the client feel like a special tenant.
As you enter the apartment, the communal areas of the kitchen, dining room and living room are all laid-out in one wide rectangular space that caters to practically every need in the most elegant way. Large windows overlooking a striking view add an air of serenity to these living spaces.
The style chosen was a clean-contemporary look with a touch of provincial French-chic. The high-end design, combining attention to detail and rich aesthetic, give the apartment a welcoming feel and a great sense of "joie de vivre".
To the left of the living room are the bedrooms, including a panic/safe room, bathroom and master suite with its own intimate balcony. The main area is tiled with grey industrial-looking porcelain tiles that give the look and feel of actual concrete.
The kitchen’s oak-veneer and Caesar stone quartz cabinets resemble concrete as well. The island is the focal point of the kitchen and can be used both as a working area and a dining area. The cubical shape affects its surroundings and gives the kitchen a contemporary and inviting look, making it the most utilized and loved living space in the house.
In the living room, the furniture and lighting were chosen to define the space, rather than using walls and other boundaries.
A 4.4-meter-long sideboard is located parallel to the lighting strips giving the space an airy and spacious feel. The sideboard’s top surface is made of oakand the doors are painted black to give it a modern, yet warm, feel.
Artwork chosen by the customer completes the rather-dramatic décor. Mixed materials deliver depth and finesse to the room. Brass elements have been used throughout the room and are incorporated in the table, the couch legs, and the bar cart as well as part of the island in the kitchen. This creates a great combination along with a color palette of greys, browns and a touch of green.
The green shade is one of the owner's favorite colors, and was therefore the choice of fabric color for an elegant chair in the living room. This dark shade gives the room its sophistication and character and provides some much-needed depth to the overall look, corresponding beautifully with the green views surrounding the property.
The owner loves to entertain. It was therefore important to create inviting and well-equipped spaces, with the balcony naturally offering the same feel. The balcony elegantly extends the indoor feel into the outdoors.
The long corridor was designed to maximize storage capacity on one side and display shelves on the other.
The green shade appears again in all its glory, in the master bedroom. This specific shade was inspired by wall art bought by the client. The same shade was used to paint all of the cabinets and storage units in the bedroom and en-suite bathroom, and blends beautifully with the concrete hexagon tiling placed together to create the illusion of a unique rug. The tailor-made woodwork, with special embellishments, adds to the provincial chic and gives the room its elegant cozy feel.
