Before and After: A New Life for a 'Worn-Out' Apartment in an Old Building

Architect and designer Olga Zolotukhina decorated a four-room bright and comfortable apartment in a brick residential building. Initially, the rooms were in a 'dead' state and required major renovation. The inspiration for creating the interior came from the historical status of the house and its special atmosphere.

Kitchen before renovation

The kitchen was quite spacious originally. The finishing left much to be desired. There is a large window/door opening in the kitchen, which needed to be taken into account when arranging furniture.

Kitchen after renovation

The kitchen remained within the same boundaries. The stove is gas-powered: the gas supply with a meter is located low, access to it is provided through the lower drawer of the kitchen cabinet. The furniture was custom-made. There is a built-in dishwasher, built-in gas stove. The oven and microwave are electric and located next to the refrigerator. The refrigerator is standalone. A contrasting accent was the electrical appliances block.

Living room before renovation

Originally, the living room in the apartment was a passageway: through it one entered a small elongated room 2 meters wide and 6 meters long. During the renovation, the designer divided it approximately in half, thus obtaining two spaces — a study for the owner and a wardrobe. The living room area remained unchanged.

Living room after renovation

To make the living room look central and grand, the inter-room doors to the study and wardrobe were installed symmetrically relative to the center axis of the room.

The living room is divided into a guest zone and a small workspace. Here bright burgundy armchairs and an emerald sofa were placed. Golden tones in furniture and decor bring an element of solemnity to the space.

Child's room before renovation

The space is narrow and elongated, it was important to place a comfortable sleeping area and make the space bright.

Child's room after renovation

When planning the child’s room, it was desired to make it universal — without excessive children's furniture, easily transformable in the future into a teenager’s room, with a full-size bed. "We remove the canopy and birds to get an adult, more restrained bedroom. A small child's table and shelf can be replaced with a working zone. If desired, the walls can easily be repainted," — the designer explains.

Bathrooms before renovation

This was a typical Soviet separate bathroom with square tiles. It was necessary to arrange furniture and plumbing conveniently and give the interior a touch of polish.

Bathrooms after renovation

It was not possible to change the size and dimensions of the bathrooms, so Olga Zolotukhina placed only what was essential here: a marble bathtub, a sink, storage systems in niches, and of course a mirror — the lighting turns on by sensor. An integrated installation was used for a suspended toilet.

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