Oksana and Valeriy found themselves waving their children off and having more leisure time of their own. Their Moscow apartment is their latest baby; a new start, where they can build up a collection of art and fun pieces, while exploring the city.

As they found themselves finding less time in the countryside, they decided it was time to get a townhouse apartment. Outside of Moscow, their home is classical with much decoration and wooden finishes, so it was decided early on that this apartment would be a new beginning.

Clean and contemporary, it’s sleek and a fresh space to start their art collection in a well lit, breezy home.

The apartment was a new build, so designer Olga Koshcheeva started completely from scratch. It was just a cement box with two columns in the middle, so the couple were really able to get the look and feel they wanted from the home. This was also the designer’s first big project:

For me every part was interesting. I was really happy to find the layout solutions appreciated by the owners and to choose all the finishes and furniture, and I went to Italy to get some of the decor.

The house is designed to start with a completely minimal entry space, as you can see from the corridor. Looking to start afresh, as a new apartment, the corridor sets the tone for the color palette. In detail you see beige and gray create calm with hints of gold detail throughout. As you move into the dining room and living room, the active spaces are fuller.

The table was too big to fit in the lift, and too heavy to carry up the stairs, so they had to hire “industrial alpinists” to winch it up the building and fit it through the window.

Generally there were no difficulties in the planning and design of the apartment, one issue was getting elements of the kitchen up to the tenth floor. The table was too big to fit in the lift, and too heavy to carry up the stairs, so they had to hire “industrial alpinists” to winch it up the building and fit it through the window.

Unquestionably, the home owners love their home, having no decor that they were bringing to the house it felt like a new start. Lighting in the dining room, and also the corridor, create beautiful shadows in the evening and look ornamental in the daytime.

The living room works out just right for the two of them, with a golden mustard yellow sofa, the living room is consequently cozy and just right for relaxing after a day about town. Folding glass doors open up to the kitchen so there is no awkward shuffling through the corridor, but a dynamic flow between spaces.

On the whole, the only thing that did move through to the new apartment was a collection of books. Mimicking the colors of the room, a wooden relief by Russian artist Igor Chelkovsky stands out. The wall-mounted lighting is an eye-catching piece that is as decorative as functional.

Sitting atop the shelf over the television, the little red man is a scale model from a series of sculptures. The actual collection saw giant sculptures all around the city of Perm, where the couple are from. The Little Red Men became symbols of the city, after occupying the roof space of the parliament building and other locations since 2010.

In the bedrooms, the move from minimal is bumped up a notch to feel more homely and cozy, featuring playful wallpapers and soft textiles that encourage comfort.

The mirror frame with its gold shine, looks like the pattern of a bird cage, so clever the way it visually captures the birds on the opposite wall.

Light and airy, the master bedroom is also more decorated than the shared spaces of the house. Along with the swallows, the light blue sky of the walls supports the theme of spring.

My favorite part is the corridor. It was a rather unusual decision to have it, because it is often considered a waste of space.

The designer explains:

They love every single part of their apartment, and pass a lot of time in the living room together with their family. My favorite part is the corridor. It was a rather unusual decision to have it, because it is often considered a waste of space, but we wanted to separate the living room and to create a visual perspective from the entrance.

True to its desires, the Moscow Apartment captures a fresh start for the home owners. Summing up, it’s a beautiful blend of modern materials, creating a neutral base from which to start their art collection and explore the city.