Clever Design Makes a Small Apartment Feel Grand
A living space should be a lot of things – warm, inviting, comfortable, and a reflection of the residents’ personalities. Ukrainian architect Alex Bykov wanted all of these things for a loft he was commissioned to renovate, and he achieved his goal by turning a stuffy square space into an open and flowing home with an abundance of movement throughout.
“Usually they say that the successful interior is a beneficial combination of environmentally friendly contemporary decorative materials, d design furniture, sanitary equipment and home appliances. …Nevertheless, the interior of an apartment located in the heart of Kiev’s historical district has a much more valuable treasure – an idea.”
“A young creative couple had been looking for an architect, when their design friend recommended them Alex Bykov. The couple was preparing for a wedding and decided to spend their honeymoon in an atmosphere fo the renewed apartment. After a fruitful discussion of suggestions and proposals the concept of ‘constant motion’ was born. Furthermore the concept became the main vector of planning design and stylistic solutions of the interior.”
The loft is now called Constant Motion, and one look at the floor plan explains why. The kitchen, which is known to many as the heart of the home, is at the center of the circular floor plan.
Surrounding the kitchen are the lounge, lofted library full of built-in bookcases, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. It is possible to move from one room to the next in a circular motion, covering the entire apartment without deviating from the circular path.
The traditional brick, rich wood and soft textiles make this contemporary loft feel a lot like a more traditional home. Industrial elements and quirky little details give the home personality and keep it from feeling cramped.
The loft’s bedroom has doors to keep it private, but it has no windows. To keep it from becoming too dark and small, glass adorns the tops of the walls. This lets sunlight shine in from the large living room windows just on the other side of the bedroom wall.
The library was built on a raised floor to provide some additional storage space. This addition was built using low-cost materials and, along with its fun modular wall shelves, adds an element of playfulness and gives a great view of the living room.
