Very Simple Tips for Complex Topics: 5 Useful Advice for Beginners Doing a Renovation

Today we'll share some interesting and simple tips that were shared with us by interior designer and architect Maria Savostyanova. She did a renovation in a 2-bedroom apartment for a family with a small child. Using her solutions in the project, she shows how to make a more functional and cozy space.

1. Say No to Monochrome Floors in the Foyer

Maria recommends avoiding monochrome flooring in the foyer because dirt will be very visible on it. In her project, she chose large-format ceramic granite with a surface that resembles terrazzo. On tiles with an imitation of glass, marble, and concrete inclusions, dirt is almost invisible. This allows the homeowner to not wipe the floors with a cloth several times a day and spend less time on cleaning.

2. Install a Warm Floor in the Foyer

Don't forget to plan warm flooring in the foyer during the design stage. On one hand, this solution allows walking barefoot comfortably on tiles. On the other hand — quickly dry shoes. The entrance area is not only dirty but also humid due to wet shoes. This is a very practical solution for families with children.

3. Tile Only Part of the Walls

In a bathroom, it's not necessary to tile all walls. It's enough to cover the “wet” zone with tiles, and paint the rest of the walls. This way, you can choose ceramic tiles that you like more, higher quality and more expensive. The walls can be painted with moisture-resistant paint, which is much cheaper than tiles.

4. Install a Warm Floor in the Bathroom

In the bathroom, Maria recommends not giving up on the warm floor feature. It's much more comfortable to step out of the shower and touch your feet with not wet, cold tiles but warm and pleasant surfaces. That's exactly what she did in her project. Another bonus of a warm floor is less moisture in the room.

5. Make a Glass Partition for the Kitchen

If you have a gas stove in your kitchen, Maria recommends making partitions. To avoid overloading the small space and visually not separating the room with a wall, you can make them transparent. This way, you aesthetically divide the space and avoid coordination issues.

Photo on the cover: Maria Savostyanova's design