This compact apartment of 65 m2 in Kyiv, Ukraine has been designed for a young couple whose main desire was to get the most light and minimal space possible.
That is why, ater.architects transformed the initial fractional layout with many separate rooms and corridors into a common space, with only the bedroom area separated. As zoning elements, curtains of an intense cobalt color were used, which are the unifying motive of the entire apartment.
The main color scheme of the apartment is restrained, almost monochrome. The decision was motivated by the ambition to balance the vigorous colored accents and make the space brighter and airier while maintaining some rigor. For this reason, the ceiling was brought down only in the kitchen and in the bathroom areas for ventilation distribution, while in the remaining residential space, the concrete slabs were painted white with no loss of texture.
For almost the entire apartment covering, wide oak engineered planks were chosen. It was only in the kitchen and bathroom areas where the architects decided to give up on standard tiles in favor of breccia – fragments of broken marble with polymer grout-filled joints.
The kitchen area is dressed in oak veneer for a cozier feeling. The black ceramic backdrop with pinkish seams serves as a subframe to the wooden fronts. The customized dining table is lit by a flowerpot lamp designed by Verner Panton in 1968.
The living room is an area for communication – at the request of the clients, neither a television nor a projector were provided. The powdery sofa contrasts with the electric blue curtains. Plus, the graphic work of the artist Yulia Popova comes up visually as the center of the living room. As an essential lighting element, the iconic Flos 265 was used here.
The specific request of the apartment owner was the workplace arrangement where he would be able to do his favorite thing – composing electronic music. To do this, the architects have designed a table that can fit all the necessary equipment. Above the table, a photograph of the cult Berlin techno-club “Berghain” by Michael Belhadi was placed.
A small make-up area and a spacious wardrobe were designed in the bedroom, which is separated from the main zone with the curtains.
To increase the space, it was agreed to combine a bathroom, initially divided in two units, into one. For this purpose, a floor-to-ceiling mirror was installed next to the sink, which visually expands the space even more. All storage areas are hidden in veneered built-in closets.
Design and info © ater.architects
Images © Alexey Yanchenkov
