8 interior designs for urban apartments that you will love

Sometimes clients present designers with rather complex design challenges, and other times, the layout of an apartment itself requires innovative thinking and careful planning. Today, we share some successful stories of transforming various types of apartments—from a typical Moscow “Stalin-era” apartment to a spacious attic in the historic center of St. Petersburg.

1. An interesting interior in a Moscow “Stalin-era” apartmentPhoto: Mikhail Loskutov

This apartment on Universitetsky Prospekt is a typical example of a “Stalin-era” building: narrow corridors, a kitchen of 9.5 square meters, and a separate bathroom that was combined into one space. The owners wanted to create a bedroom with a dedicated wardrobe and study area, designate a dining zone, make the most of the kitchen space, and install a large bathtub by expanding the corridor. How did the team at Enjoy Home manage to achieve these goals?

Read on 2> A two-story attic in the heart of St. Petersburg

This attic apartment became a testing ground for the ToTaste Studio team. They created a second floor throughout the apartment, effectively increasing its size by 42 square meters—almost like adding an extra bedroom! The space was designed in the best traditions of the loft style, while still incorporating some interesting details.

Read on 3> The apartment of designer Anastasia KamenskikhPhoto: Sergey Ananyev

Anastasia Kamenskikh and her husband viewed this “Stalin-era” apartment in Lavka-design as a temporary residence, since they were soon moving to a country house. Therefore, they decided not to spend too much money on the interior design but also refused to compromise on quality. The design focused on contrasts: simple elements alongside more complex ones, and mass-produced furniture next to handmade pieces.

Read on 4> 150 square meters of elegant classic style

For a designer, an interior without internal partitions means total freedom to create. Darya Shirokova and Inga Arshba divided this Moscow apartment into several functional areas and created a stylish, classic interior. They avoided monotony by using color strategically—each room had its own bright accent color. In the living room, kitchen, dining area, and hallway, they used turquoise in the furniture; for the study, a deeper blue was chosen. One child’s room featured shades of turquoise and apricot, while the other had yellow tones.

Read on 5> A modern apartment in northern Moscow

The modern interior of this cozy apartment was created by the OYbureau studio. The designers were inspired by the clients’ love for nature, the pine forest outside their windows (which overlook Pokrovskoye-Streshnevo Park), and the grayish sky. They used complex, muted colors that complemented the surrounding landscape and emphasized the apartment’s unique character.

Read on 6> A bold and creative approach by designer Max KasymovPhoto: Sergey Ananyev

When a client trusts a designer completely, there’s room for innovative solutions. The owners of this three-bedroom apartment on Leninsky Prospekt, a couple with a young son, gave Max Kasymov only one requirement: they absolutely needed a wardrobe in the bedroom. For everything else, he had full creative freedom. What resulted?

Read on 7> An apartment with panoramic windows and an origami-style library

How to create an interior that suits everyone in the family? First, plan carefully and use natural materials for decoration. In this apartment, stone, wood, glass, brick, and copper all found their places. To prevent the space from looking dull, architect Alexandra Fedorova added some unique design elements: movable wooden partitions made of natural oak (which separate the study from the living area) and an origami-style library in the living room. This last detail became a real highlight of the interior.

Read on 8> A cozy minimalist style in a Moscow “Stalin-era” apartmentPhoto: Dmitry Livshitz

The key word for this project is simplicity—the kind of simplicity that comes from avoiding excessive decor and unnecessary items, resulting in a sense of harmony and tranquility. This approach was clearly intentional from the beginning; the clients wanted a minimalist apartment that wasn’t lacking in comfort. We learned about the secrets behind this design from designer Antonina Sinchugova.

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