Esentai City is a premium residential complex in Almaty, consisting of three-story houses with stained-glass windows. Danara Akhmetova designed an apartment of 118 sq. meters. The main wishes of the customers were a comfortable layout and a calm, not flashy, but unusual for Kazakhstan interior. “I suggested the japanordic style,” says the designer. — Clients accepted the idea with a bang. They became so fascinated with Japanese and Scandinavian culture that it influenced every aspect of the project.”
The family consists of five people, but the eldest daughter and son study and live abroad, so the apartment was planned for three: wife, husband and youngest son. Customers always rented housing, since her husband’s work meant frequent moves. The pandemic and quarantine changed everything: it was decided to buy their own apartment. In addition, the son really wanted to have a pet, and in terms of renting this is problematic.
Danara Akhmetova suggested an unusual layout: a secret door leads from the living room to the parent unit. “First we get into a walk-in dressing room with an open storage system, then we move past the bathroom and bathroom, after which we find ourselves in the bedroom. There are no doors between the rooms, only the bathroom is hidden behind a folding canvas. The bathroom is separated from the bedroom by transparent glass.
Between the bedroom and the bathroom, the designer placed a steam fireplace: water is poured into it, and the steam imitates flames. It is safe for both people and pets, and also moisturizes the air. “I imagined how the customer would take a bath with fragrant foam, listen to beautiful music and admire the fire through the glass.”
The finish is dominated by wood textures, rough and smooth. Natural wood tones, beige and sand tones are complemented by japanordic black accents. On the floor there is an engineered board, instead of traditional porcelain stoneware, microcement is used for the floor in wet areas. This material is present on the walls and ceilings in the living room, kitchen, hallway and master bedroom, creating a feeling of a single space. The furniture in the bathroom is made of MDF, with black microcement applied on top.
For the bedroom, the designer designed a podium bed made by a local carpentry shop. “The customer considered this option inconvenient, so I made his side of the bed the usual height, and placed half of the hostess on the podium. Thus, we resolved the controversial points: everyone has the height that is familiar. The husband has Bonaldo bedside tables, the wife does not have them, and even the electrical fittings are embedded in the floor. Next to the window is a Vis a Vis floor lamp by Mogg – it has become a favorite item of the owners in the house.
Customers dreamed of a black kitchen, Danara Akhmetova proposed a model of the German brand Leicht with facades made of Fenix NTM nanoplastic: matte anti-reflective coating, hidden doors. The depth of the tabletop is 90 cm, which made it possible to arrange cabinets with convenient opening in place of the usual apron. Since the family does not cook much, a small two-burner stove was placed on the island, above it – an invisible Elica hood. A pantry is planned behind a secret door, where a refrigerator and all household gadgets are hidden. A mirrored canvas was installed above the kitchen line – the room began to seem larger.
The project also includes a Ditre Italia sofa, a Bonaldo coffee table, Vibia lamps, a Sovet dining table, and Muuto chairs. In the hallway there is a Vitra chair. Bathroom equipment: Kolpa, Alape, Villeroy & Boch, Hansgrohe. The stone shell was brought from Bali. Doors – from the Russian factory “Sofya”, and also made in a local carpentry workshop.
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