The flat with the vaults

The space to be worked with had a characteristic feature – historic arched vaults up to 4.5 metres high, preserved from the time of the palatial annexe that was once the house, which was built during the reign of Catherine the Great.

The renovation of the flat took approximately six months. The ceilings were replaced, plaster was knocked off the walls, and the old frames were removed along with the window sills. The new, custom-made windows are slightly tinted on the street side, so that, despite the ground floor, the owners hardly use roller blinds. The brick walls have been painted white and in some places re-plastered. Interestingly, because of the old walls, it was extremely difficult to make cable cut-outs, so the wiring is mostly open.

A frequent technique of the za bor workshop – the isolation of the built-in volume – has been used for zoning. Inside the white cube, in the living room, is the bathroom. One of its walls forms a niche with kitchen equipment, while the other, facing the sofa, serves as a screen for the projector.

The project is kept in a minimalist style, which is reflected in the choice of materials – they are all selected in neutral colours: white and grey paint for the walls, black slate for the wet areas and light brown American walnut wood for the living areas.

Weak insolation (the flat is on the ground floor) is compensated for by high vaulted ceilings that reflect light. The central volume, in the upper part, has perimeter hidden lamps that allow to illuminate the living room without using overhead light (there is a lamp only above the dining table).