Russian Houzz Tour: How a Small Studio Apartment Gained a Bedroom
Unfolding a sofa bed every evening is no fun. This couple avoided that by carving out a separate bedroom in their studio
The owners of this Russian apartment, Elena Kareva and Alexander Romanov, work for an airline so they wanted their first home together to be within an easy commute of Sheremetyevo Airport near Moscow. The couple found a place in the perfect area – the neighbouring city of Khimki in the Moscow region – but it was a studio apartment and they wanted a separate bedroom. Cue a clever redesign and a spatial solution by Russian design practice, Space For Life.
The work took three months to complete. “This project is a very rare example of when the design on paper and the real-life interior are like two peas in a pod,” says Proskurin. “We carefully planned and designed the space, calculating everything to the nearest inch with a view to comfort of use.
“Usually, it’s necessary to make adjustments during the work,” he says. “Sometimes it even happens that, as ideas develop, eventually nothing remains of the original plan.”
“Usually, it’s necessary to make adjustments during the work,” he says. “Sometimes it even happens that, as ideas develop, eventually nothing remains of the original plan.”
The owners took possession of the apartment from the property developer as a concrete box with a clear layout: a living room on the left, and the kitchen, bathroom and separate toilet on the right.
However, the couple wanted to sleep on a normal bed – not fold out a sofa every night – but without sacrificing too much space in their separate living room. Combining two connected zones with different functions became the project’s main challenge.
In practice, there were two possible ways to fit a bedroom into this small space: either in an alcove or as a partitioned unit, which was the solution the owners chose. The glass wall creates a sense of spaciousness, but the bedroom can be concealed with a curtain when the owners have friends over.
However, the couple wanted to sleep on a normal bed – not fold out a sofa every night – but without sacrificing too much space in their separate living room. Combining two connected zones with different functions became the project’s main challenge.
In practice, there were two possible ways to fit a bedroom into this small space: either in an alcove or as a partitioned unit, which was the solution the owners chose. The glass wall creates a sense of spaciousness, but the bedroom can be concealed with a curtain when the owners have friends over.
The team didn’t skimp on bedroom materials, but neither did they go over the top. One of the main expenses was the welded partition, but the couple believe it’s paid itself off: it’s sturdy and the glass panels are fixed tightly and securely in place. However, the structure also makes it easy to remove and replace damaged panes in the future, rather than needing to repair the entire partition. One of the sections of the partition swings open, serving as the bedroom door.
The couple were able to save on wallpaper by painting the accent wall with a stencil in the same shade of green as in the living room. It was a difficult job: the stencil was small, and they constantly had to wait for the paint to dry before moving on to the next section of the pattern. The larger the stencil, the more expensive they are, but larger sizes are also easier to work with. Nevertheless, their hard work has been rewarded with a cost-effective feature wall.
The curtain on the inside of the partition protects the bedroom from the sun and hides it from view. A ventilation system feeds air into the bedroom, however, the owners rarely use it as the partition is not always sealed and lets in plenty of fresh air.
Most of the furniture in the apartment is from Ikea. The dark green chosen for the living room walls is a classic colour that the owners feel will continue to be fashionable for many years to come.
Another noteworthy feature in this apartment is its lack of TV. “Many of our friends and colleagues are still surprised – how can you live in an apartment without a TV? – but we are totally fine with it,” say the couple. “We don’t need one.”
Another noteworthy feature in this apartment is its lack of TV. “Many of our friends and colleagues are still surprised – how can you live in an apartment without a TV? – but we are totally fine with it,” say the couple. “We don’t need one.”
To keep the feeling of space and visual lightness, the kitchen-diner was combined with the living room. The owners don’t cook a lot, so they focused on aesthetics in designing this space. They even refused to have a dishwasher as they don’t use many dishes.
The fridge is the only tall feature in the kitchen. The plumbing and appliances are built into the lower cabinets, and the upper shelves are used to store kitchen essentials and spices.
Laminate flooring runs throughout the apartment, and all the walls are painted.
A large, built-in cupboard with mirrored doors serves as the apartment’s main storage unit. The couple opted for swinging rather than sliding doors, to ensure they were level and to create a sleek surface when closed.
A large, built-in cupboard with mirrored doors serves as the apartment’s main storage unit. The couple opted for swinging rather than sliding doors, to ensure they were level and to create a sleek surface when closed.
Both the bathroom and the separate powder room are small, so it wasn’t easy to find a good place for the washing machine. The designers came up with the solution of placing it perpendicular to the bathroom vanity and parallel to the bath, which increased the vanity’s benchtop.
In the powder room next to the bathroom, the designers also chose simple fixtures and a narrow hand basin to leave the couple with enough room to use the space in a functional way.
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Which space-saving features in this apartment are your favourites? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, and save the images. Join the conversation.
More
Need more design inspiration? Take a look at this sleek and monochrome Melbourne home
Tell us
Which space-saving features in this apartment are your favourites? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, and save the images. Join the conversation.
More
Need more design inspiration? Take a look at this sleek and monochrome Melbourne home
Who lives here: Elena Kareva and Alexander Romanov
Location: Khimki, Russia
Size: About 32 square metres with a 4.6-square-metre balcony
Designers: Ivan Proskurin and Ekaterina Irtiugo at Space For Life
Kareva and Romanov found Space For Life online when searching for designers. They liked the approach of the interior designers, Ivan Proskurin and Ekaterina Irtiugo, and how they worked with small spaces. “As a result, everything turned out exactly the way we wanted it: it’s simple, unpretentious and full of light,” says Kareva.