Before and After: Total Redesign of a Tiny Studio 27 m² in an 18th Century House

Photographer and entrepreneur Arina Olesyuk designed a cozy mini-studio for herself in one of the most beautiful towns in Moscow Oblast. Arina doesn't own a dacha and plans to visit Kolomna to rest and recover away from the hustle of the big city. The apartment is located in a two-story pre-revolutionary house, which today officially has the status of a country estate. For the redesign, Arina invited talented designer Olga Komarova.

Location: Kolomna
Area: 27.1 m²
Rooms: 1
Ceiling Height: 3.5 m
Bathroom: 1
Design: Olga Komarova

Apartment before renovation

Originally, this space had a narrow and elongated kitchen, where the bathtub, main room, and a very cramped bathroom were located. No significant changes were made to the layout as the apartment is a cultural heritage object. To bring the living space into proper condition, everything had to be dismantled except for the upper parts of the walls and ceiling. The authentic brick was exposed, some doors were preserved, along with the upper parts of walls and ceiling. As a result, the common area of the kitchen, living room, and bedroom, entrance zone, storage space, and a spacious bathroom were created in the former kitchen area.

Kitchen before renovation

Room before renovation

Room before renovation

Bathroom before renovation

Apartment after renovation

The room was divided into several functional zones: kitchen, bedroom, relaxation area, and dining zone. A minimalist cabinet was placed along the wall opposite the window. Its light-colored fronts don't draw attention, as the main accent is made on relaxation zones. A beautiful emerald apron echoes the color scheme of the finishing and decorative elements. The kitchen will be used for cooking rarely, so a two-burner cooktop was installed, with a refrigerator, coffee machine, and microwave oven provided.

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To preserve the historical texture of the walls, they were slightly leveled with a spatula and painted with light water-emulsion paint. It harmonizes well with the brick masonry, which was intentionally exposed and painted white to slightly mute the bright terracotta color. The floor features engineered wood in a “natural wood” tone. Walking on it is very comfortable and makes the interior truly homey and cozy. One of the main advantages of the apartment is its ceiling height of 3.5 meters. Thanks to this, the small apartment appears spacious and volumetric, making it very pleasant to be in.

Beside the bed headboard, an old door can be seen. Previously, it was used to enter other rooms in the house. Previous residents filled the door with old fabric and covered it with wallpaper. Arina decided to restore the historical look of the apartment and made the door an accent element by painting it in a soft turquoise tone. The same color was used for the door frame and window textiles.

The door frame Arina found on a well-known site for second-hand items. It became the starting point for creating the entire interior concept. Arina restored the door frame herself, trying to maintain its color and texture.

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Wooden window sills were made from furniture plywood and coated with wax. Sockets were installed in the window sills to connect fairy lights, lamps, and charge gadgets. The wide window sills can also be used as additional seating.

The apartment was designed for the personal rest of its owner, but an extra sleeping area was also provided. Arina has three children, and the fold-out chair will come in handy. While it currently serves as a cozy spot for reading and resting, next to the chair is a vintage table lamp, and attention is drawn to a large antique chandelier on the ceiling.

The bed in black with a metal headboard fits perfectly into the overall interior concept. The rural vibe of a Russian izba was maintained with themed paintings and an abundance of textiles. Another vintage item is a tall mirror. It reflects sunlight and fills the room with air. The table with a cast iron base and wooden countertop was covered with a tablecloth — an indispensable element of table setting in the Russian style.

The bathroom was arranged in the former kitchen area. The brick masonry in the finishing was preserved, part of the wall in the wet zone was tiled with ceramic tiles, and the upper parts and ceiling were painted with water-emulsion turquoise paint. An original solution is a bathtub on long legs. The spirit of antiquity was maintained with a vintage mirror, an antique chair, a beautiful chandelier, and retro-style plumbing fixtures. Storage was organized in the existing niche opposite the bathtub.