Where: Heart of Tel Aviv
The property: An apartment with an area of about 100 square meters + 12 square meters of balcony
For: A couple in their 30s with 3 children
Interior design: Oron Milshtein
Photos: Elad Gonen
After years of living in a rented apartment in the city center, the couple decided to go for the real thing and purchased an apartment in a new tower in the heart of things: "They purchased the apartment when the building was already in advanced stages of construction, so we could only make the structural changes after receiving the key," according to the interior designer Oron Milshtein. "In the year before moving in, we worked on the new planning - we ordered the details of the furniture, and the tiles and planned the kitchen in detail, which allowed us to carry out a quick renovation that lasted about two months."
"We didn't change the original building too much, but in the places where we did touch it, we managed to create a real difference that affects the entire being in the space. For example, in the kitchen area where there was originally a gap in the wall and a transition to one of the rooms. In order to create a uniform and continuous facade, and gain more valuable storage space, I pushed the hinge A few tens of centimeters inside - this is how the small standard kitchen became a functional space with plenty of space." "The front of the tall cabinets is covered with aluminum in a natural shade and includes two folding doors: Behind the one closest to the entrance door to the apartment is hidden a utility room in which the pantry contains the washing machine and dryer, while the one at the right end of the kitchen leads to the guest room. We chose to make the island from graphite gray fronts and a granite marble surface where an integral sink is integrated. The bar chairs are by the super designer Philippe Starck, which are made of 100% recycled acrylic material."
In general, it is evident that items and accessories from the best international brands and designers were chosen for this apartment, and decorative pillows from a new line called LOVE that Milshtein is working on these days and will be launched soon, including a variety of complex graphics designed by Milshtein, which are printed in high quality on luxurious fabrics.
Meanwhile, the floor was covered with blackened oak parquet with a fishbone pattern - a choice that actually adds another important layer to the urban look that the couple wanted to create. Since the public space is slightly curved in shape, Milshtein chose to plan the locations of the functions in a different way than what was originally proposed by the contractor: "We wanted to open up the area as much as possible and create an optimal flow free of distractions and interruptions, so we changed the position of the living room and instead of the seating system facing the wall (as in the original design ) It faces the kitchen area and the dining area, which enables full interaction of family members and guests at any given moment."
"On the wall at the back of the seating system, we integrated a bookcase from Habitat, which is built from tight metal vertical modules and as such it creates mobility in the space. In order for the television screen not to take up volume in the space and block the flow, we chose to embed it by lowering plaster into the ceiling and it will be revealed only when necessary by an automatic elevator, on demand". "We chose the picture that was hung on the constructive wall (connecting the living room with the dining area, and facing the entrance to the apartment) near the end of the project - it is a work by the visual artist Miguel Vallinas Prieto which the owner of the house chose from the collection of works of the Lemon Frame gallery."
"The dining area is also minimalist, again, with the aim of not overloading the space and leaving the floor space as open as possible. Since it is located parallel to the curving wall, it made sense to choose a round table, and so we did: The table legs are made of iron and the surface is porcelain, and around it we placed chairs made of high-quality and flexible acrylic material In this wall there is also an exit to the balcony, where we created an intimate living room for the family members with a lush green wall and a specially ordered seating system."
Minor structural changes were also made in the couple's master bedroom: "We canceled the hall and the closet room that we originally planned there to create a relatively spacious bedroom - narrow but quite long, with a large closet along its entire length into which the TV screen is also integrated. The couple's bed is designed with modern lines And clean, and here too we wanted to give a more personal touch, that's why we chose an unusual fabric that resembles a tapestry in its texture and treasures on its back the sights of the cherry blossoms in Japan."
"We replaced the custom finishes in the master bathroom with dramatic and dark elements: The mantle was covered with large marble-like Nero Marquina porcelain granite tiles with a matte finish, the standard sink was replaced with a large bath cabinet and the custom shower with a luxurious new shower. By the way, we also created the same dramatic and slightly dim atmosphere in the guest bathroom In the public space, there the ceiling is black, the tiles are dark, and the sink is made of a roll of Corian whose interior is painted black. We also used gray mirrors that enhance the atmosphere."