Planning and design: Architect Mor Novich Shomer
Photographer: Karin Ravenna Photography
Stylist: Maya Livnat Harush
Kitchen: Semel Kitchens
Lighting: ShekaVeteka
Furniture: Arco Collection, Idana Furniture, Dr Couch
Flooring and sanitation: The Power
In the green and quiet Kfar Saba, a family of five embarked on a journey of comprehensive renovation for a five-room apartment. The process began with the understanding that in order to maximize the potential of the apartment, it must include the complete demolition of all the walls of the house, while planning and redesigning according to the dreams and needs of each member of the house.
The first and most significant change made in the apartment was the kitchen, which was previously located in a semi-closed and dim room, a "punishment kitchen", as the architect Mor Novich Shomer called it. The kitchen was moved to the center of the house, opened to the central space and thus became a central partner in family conduct. In order to strengthen the connection between the kitchen and the rest of the house, it was designed in two parallel strips, which create an optimal flow in the public space between the work area, the dining area and the living room. The wall of the tall cabinets is painted in a subtle sage shade that offers surprising silence, calmness and a natural feeling. Next to the cabinets, a central island covered with a variety of walnut veneer with a rich, chocolatey texture was designed, creating an interesting contrast to the cabinets. The combination between the two gives a warm and pleasant atmosphere, suitable both for the daily life of the family and for entertaining friends and family members.
Next to the kitchen was an old and dark service balcony, which functioned mainly as a dim storage room. That balcony, which sent chills through the clients and the architect on the first visit, begged for a profound change of identity and whispered a tremendous potential that was about to be realized. In the new design, the service balcony became the private kingdom of the middle girl in the family whose room actually replaced the old kitchen. The goal was to create a space that would be pleasant, soft and inviting - one that the girl could dream in and feel that it was her personal place. The dark space has changed its face to a magical and bright corner, with a comfortable and functional bench that stretches under a large window, stores large quantities of books, dolls and crafts and provides a direct view of the view outside the house.
In front of the greenish kitchen, the most dominant element in the space was designed - a library about 6 meters long that hangs at a non-standard low height in order to maximize the feeling of intimacy in the living room. The library contains a variety of open compartments and hidden storage areas for all the children's toys and accompanies the entire central space from the entrance to the exit showcase to the balcony. One of the great dreams of the mother of the family was to somehow incorporate the color purple in their home, a very unintuitive choice when it comes to the personal taste of the architect. After many tests and attempts, and with no small amount of courage, it was decided to paint the large library in a delicate lilac shade, a move that added a lot of color and interest and despite the initial reluctance, gave the space a feeling of calmness and softness.
The purple color chosen does not stand out excessively, but blends elegantly with the other colors and materials in the apartment. The library is not just a place to store books, but a design element that tells the story of the family, and reflects their love for aesthetics and uniqueness. During the re-planning of the space, great emphasis was placed on the integration of natural lighting into the design of the house. For this purpose, the central window in the living room, which was originally only a glass door, was enlarged, a wide showcase that allows natural light to flood the space, emphasize the materials in it and give a sense of space and airiness.
The bathrooms have also undergone a fundamental change. For the master bathroom, a greenish color palette was chosen that continues the colors of the kitchen in combination with oak veneer and atmospheric lighting fixtures. Originally, the bathroom had a minimal scheme of a 90x90 shower and a standard sink cabinet. In the new design, the bathroom was designed in the shape of a long rectangle on one side of which is a spacious shower with a sitting bench covered in greenish tile and along it a large sink cabinet containing all the necessary functions. In the children's shower, a central wall was designed with tiny tiles in a shiny turquoise shade and in an unusual way, alongside a minimalist white covering on the other walls. All of the above were combined with a large laundry closet in oak veneer to complete the warmth in the room.
The bedrooms were designed so that there is color continuity to the house and yet a slightly different character for each of the spaces so that each room fits like a glove to the tenant who lives in it. In the master bedroom, a palette of purples was chosen to which were paired pictures with a wink and a chest of drawers in deep walnut that brings a lot of calm and peace to the room. In contrast, for the children, we continued with the same color palette but with a slightly bolder variety in combination with colorful wall stickers to add interest and joy. The renovation of a five-room apartment in Kfar Saba led to the creation of a renewed space, adapted exactly to the needs and dreams of the family. With a kitchen in the center of the house, large light openings that bring nature inside, and custom carpentry that combines emotion and character, the apartment managed to become a warm, pleasant and well-designed living space.