Architecture and a way of connecting the different rooms. In the living room, a striking red arched door creates a bold focal point against light walls. A wall of glass blocks introduces transparency and rhythm, while deep-blue upholstered furniture is juxtaposed with a red-and-white striped armchair. Nearby, a suspended red fireplace reads almost like a piece of functional sculpture.
The same palette becomes quieter in the bedroom. Soft blue upholstery is paired with expressive wood grain and restrained red accents, allowing the visual language of the apartment to continue without compromising the room's sense of calm. In the children's room, however, the idea becomes deliberately playful. Large-scale geometric shapes, space-inspired illustrations and custom furniture transform the room into an imaginative environment of its own. Red, blue and white appear once again, connecting the children's world to the rest of the home.
Travel and exposure to international design have long influenced the designer's approach. Visits to exhibitions and showrooms around the world have encouraged her to look beyond conventional ideas of what a family home should be. In her own apartment, this freedom became particularly personal: an opportunity to explore whether a highly designed interior could also remain spontaneous, joyful and genuinely welcoming to children. The result is a home that embraces color without taking itself too seriously. It reflects a broader return to emotional, individual interiors, yet its strongest idea has little to do with trends. In three years, the family may move again—to another city and another home.
This apartment was never intended to last forever — and perhaps that is precisely what gives it its character. What the designer hopes will remain is a childhood memory for Aktau: the Caspian Sea, the sun, a sense of freedom and a home filled with color. Years from now, her children may not remember every piece of furniture or every design decision. But perhaps they will remember how it felt. Their childhood by the sea was bright.
