Economical repair Photo: Mikhail Stepanov, Anastasia Markelova.
Terms and tasks
This apartment was not bought for living, but forbusiness. It was intended to be rented out from the very beginning. “Such an interior should ‘catch’ you at first sight: be eye-catching, funny and memorable – like a room in an expensive fashionable hotel,” explains Karina. The clients did not have any strict requirements for the project. It would seem that here it is – the freedom that any creative person dreams of! But since investing millions in design is unprofitable, Karina had to work hard to ensure that savings did not come at the expense of quality and beauty. She used several techniques that allowed her to create an interesting interior without going over budget.
Economical DIY repair
View from the living room to the dining room and bathroom.
Freestyle
The apartment is located in the residential wing of the hotel«Ukraine»; the ambience of a Stalinist skyscraper inevitably evokes «thoughts of the past». It is not surprising that at first the clients suggested decorating it in a conservative key. But Karina insisted on a more modern solution. «People often think that an enfilade layout and stucco molding require an obligatory addition in the form of classical furniture, — she says. —I do not agree with this. I do not like head-on solutions». Defending her point of view, the designer did not just fight for the right to self-expression. The apartment only benefited from her persistence. The combination of traditional architecture and modern furniture looks respectable. At the same time, the interior does not weigh down the tenant with a heavy burden of the past. It doesn’t have the forced quality that is often felt in apartments where the “historical truth” was deliberately recreated.
Thanks to the classic enfilade layout, the interior looks noble and respectable.
The doors were made and artificially aged in the workshops of the “School-design studio” according to Karina’s sketches.
Be careful, it is freshly painted!
The main trump card of this interior isunusual color scheme. The combination of deep olive and rich chocolate shades looks unexpected and bold. In Russia, people rarely use such dark colors for fear that the apartment will turn out cramped and gloomy. Karina has her own opinion on this matter: "Light colors allow you to visually expand the space, but this does not make the house more comfortable. In addition, in cloudy weather, light painted walls acquire an unpleasant faded shade." The colors chosen by Karina are not afraid of bad weather. Even on the most chilly day, they give a feeling of warmth and evoke pleasant gastronomic associations.
A reasonable approach to budget development has allowedinvest in an expensive sofa from Baker. Above it is a painting by Valery Pesin. Its coloring emphasizes the rich color of the walls. On another wall are pages from the Koran and engravings bought on occasion in Istanbul. The wardrobe in the hallway is made in Belarus. Karina found this factory through an ad in the newspaper: "They have everything like in Europe: they work to order and offer several finishing options."
Obram and hang!
«For me, an interior with bare walls"This is not an interior at all," says Karina. Indeed, try to imagine this space without paintings and engravings, and it will immediately lose its face! The rich color of the walls will fade, the feeling of home comfort will melt away. And in general, everything that distinguishes this interior from monotonous apartments for rent, in which the spirit of ownerlessness and homelessness hovers, will disappear.
The headboard is covered with a suit fabric.
The hallway.
Hidden reserves
As you know, real art ispriceless. Therefore, the very idea that you can save on it seems seditious. But look at the problem from the other side - the way Karina did. For her, the value of art objects is measured not by their market value, but by their ability to work for the interior. For example, the black-and-white photographs in the bedroom - are nothing more than framed pages of a calendar that was once received as a gift from her office neighbors. In general, this apartment has many items that have become successful and very profitable finds of the designer (details - in the captions). The main thing, Karina believes, is not to turn savings into an end in itself.
Next to the bed is one of the designer’s most unexpected finds - a chair from the Noginsk factory.
The apartment was conceived as housing for a loner, so the kitchen here is small. But the dining room is big!
Do not be cheap!
«When planning a budget, you need to remember that there area whole range of items that require generous investments. It is absolutely forbidden to save on them!» - warns the designer. Firstly, it is plumbing, secondly, electrics. Thirdly, wooden double-glazed windows - economical plastic windows will immediately cross out all the advantages of the interior. Fourthly, the kitchen - it cannot be cheap and beautiful at the same time. Fifthly, good curtains - with them the interior looks much more expensive. And finally, you can never skimp on ideas. After all, as Karina wisely notes: "If there is not enough money, you have to take your imagination".
In the bathroom used marble.
The suite of rooms closes the bathroom. The mirror reflects almost the entire space of the apartment.
