Squirreling Around

This city apartment is bright, cosy, slightly vintage as well as modern - just like Kiev itself

Architects Elena Dobrovolska and Tetiana Gryshkova cited the surrounding urban environment as a starting point for the interiors of a Kiev apartment located in an historical part of the city, one with its own deep history.

The designers and owners all agreed on transferring the historical spirit that the Ukranian city provided into the new interior of the apartment, making it something of a background piece for the modern design and art objects within.

Such an approach resulted in a wholly artistic interior that creates a harmonious atmosphere, with its art objects dotted around and personal space designated for each member of the family who would live there. The overall style for the 210 square meter home was chosen based on a defined color scheme, a sophisticated combination of textures, and original objects. Most of the latter was exclusively developed by the studio tasked with working on the home.

In the living room, there are several interesting design solutions, from the unconventional ceiling to the unusual chandelier and copper screen. The ceiling is a reference to classic molded canopies in ancient interiors, and in this case, the designers included a touch of humor into this. If you look closely, instead of the usual ringlets, the ceiling was decorated with charming squirrels frolicking in the leaves. The chandelier is thrown into sharp relief against a white background, and it benefits from a splash of cobalt-colored glass elements.

From here, the hall and living room are separated by the copper screen placed between the two living spaces. It has numerous flat surfaces that reflect the light beautifully, filling the room with patches of light and shadow. The dim Scandinavian blue shades of the walls, alongside the use of textiles in the room brings a real sense of visual structure to the room, conjuring colour and mood and brining a sense of structure.

The blue theme is continued in the bathroom, where a duo of terracotta and deep blues are combined with warm wood surfaces and a further copper screen.

The bathrooms throughout the apartment color in neutral, but expressive colors. Smoke and graphite shades of grey, mustard, beige and muffled deep blue emphasize the warmness of the natural wood and the organic nature of the stone in these rooms.

Striking a contrast, a teenager’s bedroom next to this is decorated instead in grey and beige.

In the kitchen and dining room area, the walls have been painted in a deep grey, serving as a uniting element throughout the home. The painting in this room is by Ukrainian artist Alexander Roytburd, and it is made all the more impressive on its grey backdrop. The picture is further complemented by a massive dining table, which has been made from raw textured wood.

Throughout the project, there are many natural materials were used in the interior, from wood and glass to stone and copper. The benefits of their textures are fully revealed with the help of well-applied color solutions. In fact, such an expressive interior matches the multi-faceted city the home is situated colored.

It is bright, cozy and slightly vintage - but at the same time resolutely modern, just like Kiev itself.

A view from the hallway into the living room with a copper screen separating the areas. The copper screen’s flat surfaces reflect light beautifully, filling the room with patches of light and shadows. The living room has a number of unconventional solutions including the unusual chandelier, which complements the background with its cobalt colored glass, and the molded ceiling. Instead of the usual ringlet pattern, the ceiling has been decorated with charming squirrels frolicking in some leaves