Houzz Tour: An Apartment Fit for a Rock Star Princess
Fun colors and comic book whimsy pep up a Moscow studio
Before it was renovated, this apartment in Moscow had comic-book-themed wallpaper, which both set the tone and served as a warning for the new interior. The owner wanted her new place to be just as lively but less childish. “I like rock and superheroes, and I’m also a bit of a princess,” she told the designers, Natalia Milovzorowa and Olga Tsarevskaya.
Milovzorowa suggested using bright colors in areas where the owner spends little time, and softer hues in the bathroom and kitchen.
Furniture and decor pieces serve as color accents. They can easily be replaced without having to renovate the apartment, should the owner get tired of the riot of color.
The hallway walls are turquoise, however, because the young woman wanted to be immersed in color from the moment she steps into the house.
Wall-mounted shelf: Lavval Wood
Furniture and decor pieces serve as color accents. They can easily be replaced without having to renovate the apartment, should the owner get tired of the riot of color.
The hallway walls are turquoise, however, because the young woman wanted to be immersed in color from the moment she steps into the house.
Wall-mounted shelf: Lavval Wood
The shoe rack and the golden mirror with its lighted frame contrast well with the walls. “We call it the selfie mirror: A social media producer just cannot do without it. It’s very popular with the owner’s friends, and Instagram is already filled with pictures taken in this mirror,” Milovzorowa says.
Shoe rack and shelf with hanging rod: Lavval Wood; paint: The Little Greene Paint Co.
Shoe rack and shelf with hanging rod: Lavval Wood; paint: The Little Greene Paint Co.
A mechanism under the mattress allows it to be lifted easily by pulling on a fabric loop, revealing storage space for seasonal clothing, shoes and even suitcases.
The owner turns on the “rock star” novelty light to create the right atmosphere when she hosts parties. The painting above the bed is by Mikhail Nikatin.
Browse novelty lights
The owner turns on the “rock star” novelty light to create the right atmosphere when she hosts parties. The painting above the bed is by Mikhail Nikatin.
Browse novelty lights
There are closets on both sides of the couch. The one on the left has a clothes rack, and the one on the right has drawers.
The apartment also has a small walk-in closet in the laundry room. “The owner’s parents are conservative: They were afraid that it would have been hard to resell the apartment after a large-scale renovation, so the only [structural change] they agreed to was the creation of a separate storage area,” the designer says.
The apartment also has a small walk-in closet in the laundry room. “The owner’s parents are conservative: They were afraid that it would have been hard to resell the apartment after a large-scale renovation, so the only [structural change] they agreed to was the creation of a separate storage area,” the designer says.
The love seat is from the owner’s old apartment. She liked its functionality and size, but its color and texture did not fit the new interior. In the end, the couch was reupholstered with yellow fabric to match the color of the enclosed balcony’s walls.
The client bought the coffee tables. They go well with the painting by Elena Fuks, which was added later.
The client bought the coffee tables. They go well with the painting by Elena Fuks, which was added later.
The balcony walls are painted yellow to give the interior a sunny feel, especially as its windows are the only source of natural light in the living-sleeping space.
The ceiling lights are in the main functional areas: above the bed, desk, couch and TV. Like the “rock star” light, the central chandelier helps create the right atmosphere and is turned on only during parties.
Desk: Lavval Wood
The ceiling lights are in the main functional areas: above the bed, desk, couch and TV. Like the “rock star” light, the central chandelier helps create the right atmosphere and is turned on only during parties.
Desk: Lavval Wood
Except for the kitchen table and chairs, the furniture in the apartment was custom-made from the designers’ sketches. The client asked to minimize the number of open shelves and mainly opted for cabinets with plain doors. There are two open bookcases. One is inside the bed structure, between the bed and the closet (marked with a dotted line on the floor plan, shown at the end of this story); it holds most of the owner’s books. The second is above the desk, where books alternate with decorative figures by Vitra from designboom.
Bookcase: Lavval Wood
Bookcase: Lavval Wood
Placing the guitar where it would be easily accessible was another of the client’s requests. The solution was simple: The guitar is part of the wall decor, while the combo amp now has a place in the TV console.
Clock: Vitra; painting by Elena Fuks: Art Brut Moscow
Clock: Vitra; painting by Elena Fuks: Art Brut Moscow
The long wooden counter on the balcony is especially handy for parties — it accommodates about 10 guests. When it’s not needed, it folds down against the wall.
Painting: Art Brut Moscow; armchair: Kreslo
Painting: Art Brut Moscow; armchair: Kreslo
While a rock vibe dominates the living-sleeping space, the owner wanted the kitchen to be fit for a princess. Originally the whole kitchen was supposed to be painted a soft pink, but the lower cabinets ended up being light blue.
The painting by Ksenia Ermakova was brought in for the photo shoot by art director Daria Soboleva, but the owner was so in love with it that she could not let it go, as the image reflects her perfectly.
Soboleva is also the one responsible for the blue bananas and pink pears in the kitchen. “Daria saw the apartment and came up with the idea of painting fruit as part of the decor,” Milovzorowa says. “It is a pity that such decor doesn’t last long — the colors go well with the kitchen doors.”
Soboleva is also the one responsible for the blue bananas and pink pears in the kitchen. “Daria saw the apartment and came up with the idea of painting fruit as part of the decor,” Milovzorowa says. “It is a pity that such decor doesn’t last long — the colors go well with the kitchen doors.”
Colors repeat throughout the apartment. The tiles in the bathroom are the same shade as the shoe rack in the hallway, and the vanity echoes the entryway walls.
“When they were putting in the red tiles, the builders thought that we were insane. In fact, the cabinet and tiles in the bathroom act like color accents: One of the four walls and the floor are a shade of white, softening the whole look,” Milovzorowa says.
Ceramic cactus: designboom
“When they were putting in the red tiles, the builders thought that we were insane. In fact, the cabinet and tiles in the bathroom act like color accents: One of the four walls and the floor are a shade of white, softening the whole look,” Milovzorowa says.
Ceramic cactus: designboom
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Apartment at a Glance
Who lives here: A young social media producer for a large company
Location: Moscow
Size: 366 square feet (34 square meters)
Designers: Natalia Milovzorowa and Olga Tsarevskaya of Salmon Lair
The designers mostly avoided light wood in this project because the owner doesn’t like it. The dark flooring fits well with the bright interior and continues in the hallway, bathroom and kitchen to avoid dividing the already small space.