8 Cool Ideas We Spotted in a Transformed Petrograd Studio Apartment

Our heroine Liza is a well-known blogger who personally decorated an amazing studio apartment for rent. Liza created a space with a Petrograd vibe that will surely be remembered by everyone. If you're planning a renovation, get inspired by her example: we've collected great ideas that you can adopt.

Play with the textures of old spaces

Liza and her husband bought the studio apartment in an old building after demolition—everything was stripped down to the bricks, and the wooden ceiling had remnants of old wallpaper. It was exactly these textures that inspired our heroine for the design: she decided to keep the beams and even fell in love with five windows along the wall (though they were old, some were broken).

Liza chose to maintain visibility through five windows, which inspired the idea of an open studio layout. Remember—what seems like a flaw on first glance can easily become a focal point and a clever design feature.

Don't overstuff the kitchen with cabinets

If you have a small family or understand that you don’t cook much, there’s no need to clutter the space with full kitchen units. That’s exactly what our heroine did: for storage in a rental flat, just the base of the kitchen unit was enough, so she opted out of upper cabinets.

Sometimes just one or two shelves are enough for essentials (or decor, as in Liza’s case).

Use materials wisely

Planning to make furniture yourself? Then take a leaf from Liza’s book: she bought a large solid wood panel made of joined ash, 4 cm thick. It was enough for the countertop, a three-meter kitchen, a bar counter, and even a bathroom vanity top!

She also cut a semicircular countertop from the same panel for the bathroom sink. Furniture made of one material throughout the apartment looks harmonious and pairs beautifully with wooden flooring.

Experiment with layout

Of course, many people are used to the idea that the living room layout means a sofa against the wall and a TV in the center. Our heroine absolutely refused to make the TV the focal point. Even though it wanted to go on the green wall, Liza placed it on a wine cabinet—it's present in the room but not the composition’s center.

The heart of the living room is a group of sofas, hinting that this area was designed for conversation and relaxation. Side tables were placed in the corners, and a chair was added. One change in layout can completely alter how a room is perceived, so don’t be afraid to experiment and break from tradition.

Add unique decor

This is not about modern art pieces. On the green wall (where the TV would logically belong), Liza hung various pictures. These weren't purchased posters but decor with soul and meaning—copies from books, views of St. Petersburg.

Liza even painted an abstract artwork herself. While not everyone can claim the gift of a painter, the idea of using photocopies is definitely something to borrow—it’s budget-friendly and original.

Think about room size based on your needs

Some love spacious apartments with large rooms, others prefer cozy and intimate spaces. Do you want to live in a large bedroom? Or do you dislike when the room feels empty? For example, Liza decided right away that she doesn’t understand why a bedroom should be overly spacious.

The room is designed to fit the width of one window: here, a log bed and wooden trim (made by herself), an open wardrobe for storage, and a niche near the headboard for phones and other small items—this replaces a bedside table.

Use finishing touches for zoning

This technique is well-known, but we’ll remind you once more. You can zone a space using furniture or partitions, or by coloring a room or specific function (e.g., a beauty area in the bedroom). In Liza’s apartment, white plaster was used for zoning the entrance hall and living room.

Once, our heroine rented a flat where all walls were peach-colored—over time, such a design began to drive her crazy. Therefore, in her rental apartment, there’s now a contrast white wall.

Introduce theatricality

The bathroom in Liza’s apartment is an incredible space. The owner wanted to infuse the space with a Petrograd and tourist vibe—resulting in a theatrical, even slightly over-the-top look. Thanks to the azulége tiles depicting the Peter and Paul Fortress, with cherubs flying around and bunnies jumping.

Liza herself says that the pattern might look naively childish, but that’s exactly what gives the bathroom a unique and surprising atmosphere.

Transformation of a 1905 Petrograd Studio Apartment