Wedged within the dense, heavily populated neighbourhood of BneiBrak in Israel, Malka Apartment is a light-filled world away from the din of the outside world. Created for a couple on the cusp of becoming empty-nesters, architect and designer Vered Kadouri was entrusted with renovating their home as they entered the next phase of life.
“They had raised 12 children here and were finally ready to reclaim their space,” says Vered. “The transformation of the home was reflective of their journey as they shift from a busy household to a more intimate, quieter environment where they can live a calmer existence.”
Despite it’s a generous footprint, the interiors were irreparably cramped and required a rigorous gut and re-fit. Vered conceived a clearly demarcated three-part floorplan zoned with a kitchen and living at the heart, framed by an ultra-private master suite on one side and sleeping quarters for the youngest few children still at home on the other. Extra food storage and a secondary kitchen is tucked behind the living room.
“The spacious proportions of the public areas are embraced as an area for cultural connection, where the family gathers to observe customary traditions around the oversized dining table,” says Vered. “The neutral colour palette is awash in nutty milk and oat tones which cultivates a peaceful atmosphere, even when the house is full.”
Satiny-smooth porcelain tiles and dove grey granite define the hard-working kitchen while warmer surfaces come by way of joinery, such as oak shelving finely crafted to display meaningful faith-based objects. “The Jewish Orthodox home is typically a modest one, deeply reflective of family life and heritage. This interpretation adopts the same humility but with a minimalist expression, featuring understated and earthy materials that convey a grounded and wholesome sentiment.” Accents of the industrial feature on distressed pendants, farmhouse-style hardware and carved tables handmade locally from reclaimed railroad tracks.
A separate and discrete side entrance to the apartment opens into a self-contained female-only yoga studio where the homeowner teaches. While simple and restrained, lined in timber with meticulously positioned fixed props, the very existence of the space is hugely significant in a community where women typically adopt conventional gender roles. A symbol of progress and contemporary evolution, it’s a retreat designed to encourage ritualised wellbeing and restorative practice.
Team:
Designer: Vered Kadouri
Photography: Yoav Gurin
