How a Beginning Designer Decorated Her 2-Room Apartment: Simple and Stylish Solutions

Daria, a beginning designer, successfully arranged a two-room apartment in a Moscow new construction where she lives with her husband and a Poodle. The property was purchased as an investment with the goal of reselling in 3–5 years followed by buying a house. Therefore, it was important to consider not only personal preferences for finishing but also market demands for the most in-demand apartments. This allows avoiding the need for capital repairs during resale and simplifies finding buyers.

Daria shared her experience on how thoughtful solutions can create a cozy and functional space without exceeding the budget.

The layout provided by the developer was not preserved, understanding that the first three years the child will sleep with parents in one room and a separate kids' room won't be needed. Therefore, the kitchen and living room were merged, and a small storage area of just 1x1 meter was planned. The apartment includes a bedroom with a wardrobe, a hallway, and a combined bathroom.

Initially, Daria chose a flat with white-box finishing. However, problems arose with the developer during construction, requiring her to finish it herself using contractors from a trusted construction crew. This ensured quality in the raw materials and performed works.

Daria is convinced that the most important thing is not to rush with decisions and take pauses when in doubt about materials or color choices. For example, it was important to select harmonious colors for the furniture and walls that complemented the quartz vinyl flooring laid throughout the apartment. Daria took fabric samples to showrooms and tried them on the floor before discussing with the furniture manager. This approach helped avoid mistakes and create a balanced interior.

The walls in the house are covered with monochrome wallpapers: gray in the bedroom and wardrobe, and light beige in the hallway and kitchen with the living room. They look as if they were simply painted, which greatly simplifies renovation: no need for such careful wall preparation as with painting. Considering that the house was handed over only a year ago, this is important because when painting, it's necessary to additionally reinforce the surface with glass fiber mesh due to settling of the house, which may continue for several years and lead to cracks.

Quartz vinyl in a classic English tree pattern was laid along the entire perimeter of the floor. This adds warmth and comfort, especially in small rooms. Zone division using flooring would be inappropriate and make the rooms even smaller. Understanding the importance of sound insulation in new constructions, mineral wool was used for ceiling insulation.

The kitchen cabinet was chosen as a corner unit with monochrome light facades, part of which has routering. Daria conveniently organized dish storage in the lower drawer so that clean dishes can be easily transferred from the dishwasher. In the dining area, there is a foldable round table. Guests rarely visit the family, so only two chairs are used here, with a third one located at the desk in the bedroom — it's easy to move when needed for guests.

The area next to the TV was highlighted with the same tiles as the backsplash, and the window sills were finished with leftover tiles. After business trips around the world every six months, the family’s father (cargo ship captain) stays in the living room on a large foldable sofa. The 160x200 bed provides comfort similar to a full-sized bed.

The living room interior cannot be considered complete without all necessary appliances, for example, a smart speaker from Yandex. The new compact Station Mini 3 Pro not only blends harmoniously into the interior thanks to its modern design and circular lighting but also serves as a useful helper in daily life for Daria.

"When I turn on the music, it feels like the sound fills the entire room — it's loud and clear," - Daria shares. Additionally, the Mini 3 Pro can be connected to a portable battery that provides up to 7 hours of operation without recharging.

Thanks to support for modern standards such as Zigbee and Matter, the Station Mini 3 Pro can become the center of a smart home. It can be connected to light sensors and smart bulbs, controlled via voice commands. Required scenarios are set up through the Alice Home app.

Daria’s station works in tandem with the Yandex Smart IP Camera. The camera allows monitoring what happens in the apartment when the owners are away. This is particularly relevant if there are pets at home. The camera has a wide 103º field of view, a 350º rotation mechanism, and captures high-quality footage even at night. It sends notifications to the phone when motion or noise is detected. When the owners return home, the camera can be easily turned off with a voice command on the Station Mini 3 Pro: "Alice, turn on privacy mode".

Yandex Smart Speaker Station Mini 3 Pro with Alice

Yandex Smart IP Camera, 2K QHD, WiFi, Rotating

The absence of heavy curtains in the living room creates a feeling of freshness and does not overload the space. Light sheer curtains in a soft milk color, almost matching the wall color, do not block the large window with an amazing view of the city. However, a second level for possible curtains in the future was still provided.

About the Bedroom

In this room, there is a soft bed, and near the window, a desk that can serve as Daria’s vanity table. The outlets and light switches are conveniently placed vertically next to the bed, so everything is within reach.

Daria definitely needed a separate wardrobe for hanging clothes on hangers rather than shelves. For this purpose, a dedicated space in the bedroom was allocated where she installed a black wardrobe system. The walls here were covered last with leftover gray wallpapers from the bedroom. Since there are no open walls in this space, the seams of the fabric remain unnoticed thanks to the wardrobe system. Instead of regular doors, curtains were used. They give the interior a cozy and soft feel, and they are easy to replace with any color or texture if variety is desired.

In the hallway, a small storage room was planned, sufficient for storing household chemicals, home appliances, and cleaning supplies. There, Daria placed a shelf and hung several shelves for long-term storage, such as a suitcase and sports bags stored under the ceiling. This turned out to be very convenient and much better than just a separate cabinet in the hallway or bathroom. Thanks to this, space was freed in the bathroom and enough room was left for potential additional storage after the baby arrives.

Instead of a cabinet in the hallway for shoes and outerwear, the same system as in the wardrobe was installed, allowing easy swapping of drawers and bars. The interior and inter-room doors are made in the same shade — they add depth to the interior and a touch of luxury despite the budget renovation.

In the bathroom, contrasting ceramic granite was used for finishing with accent walls highlighted by ceiling lighting. It creates a cozy and relaxing atmosphere, especially after a long day. The mirror with a built-in storage cabinet for personal care products beautifully complements the space. The drawer handles are made in the color of the tiles or walls, allowing for easy replacement if desired.

In the end, designing this space allowed efficient use of every square meter and created an atmosphere of comfort and functionality. Thoughtful organization of the wardrobe in the bedroom, a cozy bathroom with accents, and convenient storage in the hallway make life in the home more comfortable. The flexibility in choosing accessories and adapting the storage system to changing family needs also highlights the thoughtfulness of the interior design. All these elements blend harmoniously, giving the space style and elegance, making the apartment truly cozy and practical for all its inhabitants.