At the stage of purchasing and choosing an apartment, we were approached by young clients. All the proposed options had their downsides, their difficulties, but also fleeting opportunities. We were drawn to a challenging apartment, with a complex, sprawling floor plan layout and load-bearing structures that constrained the space. However, drawing on our extensive experience, we understood it would be possible to realize the intended design there. And that became an interesting challenge for us.
The clients strongly requested a minimalist space, not only structurally but also visually, using minimal color accents and a very restrained palette. We decided not to introduce any artificial color directly at all, using the color of natural tan leather, veneers of various species, and metal as the brightest colorful accents. The base consisted of complex greige combinations, which we worked on quite a bit because it was important to find moderately warm shades that wouldn't lose their complex depth and smoky effect.
This very feeling of a softly enveloping space led to the idea of incorporating influences from Eastern philosophy and art. This is how "beasts" by Ilya Zaretsky and ink graphics on cotton by Kessel Alexey, natural watercolors by Vera Kovzanovich, and the unique ceramics by Anastasia PIU and Lisa Pulko appeared. We selected all these pieces together with the clients in the artists' workshops; although they are authentically Belarusian artisans, there is definitely something Eastern in their essence. Art should evoke emotion, thought, and lead the viewer further and deeper. We managed to find all the pieces of this puzzle.
The unity and the impossibility of existing without each other—of light and shadow, day and night, dark and light energies—all find their place in the space. We masterfully combined light microcement with dark smoked wide-format parquet, the dusty shades of the walls and the smoky chocolate veneer of the furniture.
In the bathroom, we pushed the concept of color beyond its usual understanding. A capsule for relaxation, completely devoid of color and finished in monolithic microcement, transforms into a true color therapy session, reminiscent of incredible natural combinations of sunset, sea dawns, and light reflections on water. The client can choose precisely the color temperature they need at any given moment.
We managed to run all the utilities without additional ceiling bulkheads, which we strive for in almost all our projects. This allows for preserving the maximum ceiling height. Developers don't often offer the luxury of high 3-meter ceilings, so we're happy to save every centimeter. We managed to make all the door panels reach the ceiling. This is a distinct aesthetic that provides an extraordinary sensation of height, airiness, and blurred wall boundaries. Combined with the finish in the same architectural paint as the walls, the effect is doubled.
In the bathroom, we organized a great setup—a combination of an open shower area and a wall-mounted peninsula bathtub in a single zone. They are united by functional glazing and a podium, and all of this is accentuated by a curved ceiling structure with flowing, soft lighting. This solution allowed us to avoid the usual compromise and keep both options "under one roof," without losing space or convenience.
A great deal of high-quality work went into the layout, circulation logic, and strategic visual focal points.
We reorganized what was previously a large chunk of the entrance hall, which could at best accommodate a not-very-spacious freestanding wardrobe. We allocated space for a laundry/wardrobe room, bringing in natural light from the living room through a distinctive window. It must be said that thanks to the glass doors and partition, we managed to avoid a corridor-like feel. The space reads as unified, flowing smoothly, yet divided into distinct areas.
The living room and kitchen area is a story of its own. The entryway to this space was severely limited by a load-bearing column and a ventilation duct. There was no physical possibility to widen the opening. So, we took a different path: if you can't hide a flaw, accentuate it. This works holistically. Initially, we structured the hall and the flow of movement so there would always be a focal point in sight. Not just a part of the kitchen in the background of a narrow opening, but a tangible art object, a small-scale form. This role was filled by the beautiful Diabolo pendant light, which provides a vertical element and an understanding of the space's volume. From the kitchen side, we clad the protruding part of the column with a veneered panel; it plays with the viewer, partially revealing a beautiful backdrop in the form of a relief glass window into the laundry room.
The kitchen itself is located in a transit zone. But this in no way hinders its function. We perfectly corrected the geometry of the room, which strongly resembled a trapezoid. The main working part of the kitchen is a separate U-shaped volume with a spacious peninsula. An additional part was solved as a tall cabinet/pantry, where a shallow glass display for glasses, always welcome extra storage, and full-sized integrated appliances are arranged in an ascending order.
Our living room is oriented towards the windows, not a wall, which also resonates with the philosophy of a modern person—being able to observe the changing nature and landscape outside while sinking into a comfortable sofa. We rounded the revealed corner of the external walls and enhanced the effect with a large mirror.
For a large number of various artifacts brought from travels, books, we designed a beautiful open shelving unit, which also became a living room decoration.
The width of the space allowed for a seating area with an armchair, which we complemented with a stylish Flos light fixture. This is not a conventional floor lamp for reading, but a sconce where you can adjust the light brightness to your comfort.
The study, which will rarely be used as a guest room, features a comfortable orthopedic sofa and a full-sized wardrobe. It is an aesthetic continuation of the entire apartment but has its own feature in the form of a built-in small wine cabinet—a little nod to the love of life and the ability to find balance between work and leisure.
The bedroom turned out minimalist, yet the most Eastern in terms of textures, rhythms, and greige shades. Beautiful veneer-effect wallpaper on the walls softly reflects light from the floating Artemide lamps. A weightless bed base, a subtle small-scale rhythm of 3D panels, an airy door-partition to the walk-in closet, fabric canopy draperies—all this speaks of lightness, rest, and harmony.
We are fans of details. In such minimalist projects, they are especially important. The leather door handles are from a new collection, very tactile and austere; the smoky mesh curtains in each room have their own undertone to add the right mood to each space; walnut details in the study's pendant light are echoed in the handles of the Innovation Living sofa and highlighted by the rust-colored watercolor "Isolation" by Vera Kovzanovich; we created fabric fronts in Alcantara, the client's favorite material, so that even in a space like the walk-in closet—especially there—they would feel the aesthetics, care, and coziness.
Every project is a separate universe, a meticulously directed living environment. It's important to see all the layout features and turn them into a source of unique solutions. We managed to create a space that is minimalist in form but maximally rich in essence, one that breathes and lives together with its owners.
