Budget-Friendly and Designer-Free: 5 Cool Transformations of Old Apartments

It's not necessary to buy an apartment in a new building to make your dream renovation. Apartments in old buildings can also be cozy and stylish. We show how this is possible through examples of our heroes.

A Cozy Two-Room Apartment with Self-Designed Interior

The two-room flat in a panel house was old and 'killed'—covered with carpets, canopies, and had a huge Soviet attic. Owner Sergey wanted to create a bright and stylish interior by himself.

Since they didn't make such a reconfiguration in the apartment, they only changed the bathroom walls because the space was very small. Everything had to be torn down to combine the bathroom into one large beautiful area.

The interior, as intended by the owner, turned out bright—Scandinavian style with elements of American classic. But most importantly, the old parquet laid in 1978 was preserved and restored.

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Scandinavian Interior in a Stalin-era Apartment, Costing Only 700 Thousand Rubles

This two-room flat in a Stalin-era building was inherited by Ekaterina and her husband in terrible condition. But the couple didn't despair and managed to transform it beyond recognition—by themselves and with a small budget.

The owners were inspired by Scandinavian style and mid-century design. Most of the walls were painted, and even the tiles in the bathroom were changed due to a tight budget. Some furniture was bought at discount stores, and some items were found on 'Avito' and restored.

@kvartira_v_sibiri@kvartira_v_sibiri@kvartira_v_sibiriView Full Project

Old Apartment, Renovated in Two Months

Julia Volkova is a beginner decorator, and her first project was her own apartment, which she bought with her husband. The renovation in this old 'trash' flat hadn't been done since the house was built—about 45 years ago.

They spent two months on the main renovation works. The floor was made with a fill-in method and topped with Belgian linoleum. The walls were covered with wallpaper, and the plastic window frames were painted with special paint.

The separate bathroom was demolished and rebuilt using gas concrete blocks. This allowed them to build a sink cabinet and laundry basket under the sink and place a compact washing machine opposite.

Most of the furniture was from mass-market stores, except for a console table, built-in wardrobe, and buffet. The first two were custom-made, while the buffet was restored and adapted for storing dishes.

@neprostoblondinka@neprostoblondinka@neprostoblondinkaView Full Project

Comfortable Stalin-era Apartment with Budget Furniture and Decor

Maria and her husband, along with their two children, bought an old three-room Stalin-era apartment and decided to completely redesign it for themselves. This took three months of intensive work and 1.2 million rubles.

One of the challenges in the renovation was leveling the walls. This required far more materials than the owners had planned. To preserve the airiness of the high ceilings, the walls were painted in light tones. Monotony was avoided by adding accent walls in the living room and bedroom—these were painted in a deep green shade and decorated with moldings.

For the kitchen work zone, hallway, and bathroom with a tub, the same tiles with a plant pattern were laid. For the kitchen backsplash and bathroom wall finishing, white 15x15 tiles were chosen.

The kitchen was fully planned using IKEA's METHOD modules. The same brand was used for wardrobes, beds, tables, chairs, and even decor with dishes, while the sofa was made at the 'Apriori' factory.

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Modern Interior of a Stalin-era Trasher Without a Designer

When Galina's family bought a trasher in a Stalin-era building, it was in terrible condition—everything had to be redone.

They avoided reconfiguration—what was originally there was acceptable. However, demolition of walls couldn't be avoided—some areas had a difference of up to 8 cm. The ceiling was also crooked and had peeling plaster.

A stylish modern space was created without designer help. Practical and light materials were chosen. In the end, a dream Stalin-era flat was created with white moldings, 'pine' parquet, and French windows to the floor—exactly as the owner had dreamed.

@stalinka_moey_mechtu@stalinka_moey_mechtu@stalinka_moey_mechtuView Full Project