- Location: One of the oldest neighborhoods in North Tel Aviv
- Residents: A couple in their 50s with three grown children
- Apartment Size: Approximately 140 sqm
- Design and Planning: Dikla Vaturi, owner of Vaturi Design, in collaboration with interior designer Michal Gurion
- Photography: Itaiy Banit
Many families in Israel living in apartments and houses built decades ago face daily challenges. Despite living in a sunny and bright country, the enclosed and opaque design of these properties often makes them feel dark. Additionally, most of them suffer from a significant lack of adequate storage solutions to accommodate the ever-increasing amount of clothing and belongings accumulated over the years. Such was the case for a successful lawyer couple from Tel Aviv, parents of three grown children, who realized it was time to adapt their apartment to their taste and needs. They enlisted the help of interior designers Dikla Vaturi and Michal Gurion. Now, Vaturi shares the process.
"In the original plan, the apartment included a wall that separated the kitchen area, preventing optimal entry of natural light and air. That wall effectively divided the public space into small areas, and the guest bathroom near the entrance proved unnecessary over the years. Overall, the apartment required numerous adjustments and changes to suit the lifestyle of the five residents, who longed for a bright and pleasant living environment with full interaction between the various functions."
"It was important for us to create a practical, effective, and intelligent design and to provide a designated place for every item, from books and linens to cleaning supplies and a dedicated space for the fashion items of the fashionista mother."
"One of the main requests was to significantly enlarge the kitchen area and create a spacious living room. To achieve this, we chose to remove two walls: one in the corridor leading to the bedroom wing and another separating the kitchen from the living room. During the demolition, we discovered a structural column hidden in that wall, which could not be removed. This constraint led us to think of a creative solution, and thus the decorative white bookshelf was born, dividing the kitchen from the living room. One side of the bookshelf showcases the structural column, while the other side features a dummy column, identical in width. The result is an open, bright, and airy space that is also highly functional. Thin metal shelves hold books and light-colored decorative items visible from almost every angle. The amorphous items integrated into this area, such as accessories and bar stools, break the straight mass and add softness."
"Another wall we decided to remove was the one separating the dining area from the corridor leading to the rooms. Instead, we created a bi-directional carpentry unit that serves as multifunctional storage on the side facing the rooms and as a display wall in the public area. It is clad in white oak veneer (matching the parquet chosen for the rooms), with thin metal shelves installed on it. The shelves are adorned with sculptures the couple collected over the years and numerous reading and reference books that serve the intellectual and curious family members well. It was only natural to give literature a place of honor in a prominent and central location. Overall, such a bi-directional unit has many advantages, primarily eliminating the need for a 10 cm thick wall that would otherwise take up storage space."
"We eliminated the guest bathroom at the entrance in favor of a large utility room housing the washing machine, dryer, and plenty of storage for large items like tools and suitcases. The doors leading to it are clad in oak veneer, adding a warm dimension to the mostly light space."
"In general, the color scheme in this apartment is both measured and elegant, sophisticated, and timeless. We sampled the various tones and shades from the eclectic rug spread across the living room floor, one of the few items from the apartment's previous incarnation that the family chose to keep. The resulting color range deepens the perspective in the apartment, as most colorful items are located in its more interior parts. Thus, from bright areas like the white kitchen near the entrance, one gradually discovers smoky color patches meticulously incorporated into the walls and furniture, such as the pink multimedia dresser in the living room, the greenish wall, and the artworks displayed throughout the house. This is a wonderful way to create a diverse yet harmonious and complete blend."