The Property: Private Home in One of the Sharon Cities, Approximately 250 Square Meters
Interior Design: Ma'ayan Rahav, Graduate of Barbara Berzin's Interior Design Studio
Styling for Photos: Yael Gaon
Photography: Orit Arnon
In a sought-after neighborhood in one of the Sharon cities stands a private home that underwent a complete transformation after a complex renovation managed by interior designer Ma'ayan Rahav - a graduate of Barbara Berzin's interior design studio. This is the home of a couple, parents to three young children, who, like many Israeli couples, work 24/7 and race through life. Yet, they still made time to create a fantastic living environment that accurately meets the needs, dreams, and desires of their family.
"The couple, full of style and refined taste (she in pharmacy and he in high-tech), purchased a private home in one of the city's most desired neighborhoods," explains Rahav. "Both are busy career professionals, working, raising children, and occasionally catching their breath. Despite understanding they would need to make decisions and be all-in with the process, they longed for a guiding hand to lay out the options and manage the process."
The house, spanning three levels, did not fit the family’s needs, requiring adjustments. The process included building permits and collaboration with an architect due to the appropriation of an existing patio area across all three levels—this allowed us to create new functional spaces: A dining area on the entrance level, a laundry room on the living level, and a terrace on the rooftop."
"We deliberated a lot over the entrance door. There was a real hesitation about whether to replace it with a more updated door. After examining the original wooden door, we decided to proceed with a restoration process to achieve a new and deeper look than the original."
"Another decision we made was to lower the ceiling on the entrance level—a move that allowed us to incorporate recessed lighting effectively and accurately, creating a clean and discreet look in the home. The kitchen was designed as an aesthetic and functional unit, consisting of numerous custom cabinetry pieces providing generous and personalized storage. The facades were carefully painted in a shade from the Tambour palette, which was used for all the walls and ceilings in the house to maintain a clean, bright, and natural appearance. They were designed with a subtle rustic look, and the lighting in this space combines decorative and technical elements, such as a recessed strip in plaster above the work surface, recessed lighting within the cabinetry in a wooden niche, and pendant lights with glass fixtures above the island to provide homogeneous light over the area."
Sophisticated and versatile carpentry design, starting from the entrance foyer and continuing throughout the living room, was one of the prominent challenges in the house. Together with the skilled carpenter Nati Lahat, I designed cabinetry that wraps the space, with each section tailored to the room it faces. The cabinetry includes numerous storage areas for coats, bags, and other items in various depths. In the living room, a modular cabinetry unit was built to display decorative items, including open shelves integrating decorative objects and plants, along with closed spaces for practical storage.
"In the entrance foyer, a hidden preparation was designed for a future television installation as a family corner for the children. The rustic-lite look continues here with light and delicate bricks on the facade leading to the yard and the dining area column, which previously served as a partition for the canceled patio. The natural material blends beautifully with the modern elements, creating an interesting and unique combination. In addition to the bricks, we chose a light and soft aluminum profile for use in the openings throughout the floor."
"The security room, located on the entrance level, serves as a daily workroom. For this, we created cabinetry allowing comfortable seating for two people facing a work desk, and upper cabinetry for storing folders and documents. Opposite it is a hallway leading to the guest toilet, where I designed ventilated cabinetry and shielding from radiation for the electrical and communication cabinet inside."
"Like in all parts of the house, artwork created by the homeowner's mother, who creates captivating, deep, and character-filled art pieces, was integrated throughout the floor. The art added a personal and family touch to the home. At the top of the stairs, low lighting was woven in, with a lower beam of light flooding the space with a soft and pleasant glow."
"On the living level, the three children's rooms were designed to match their ages and tastes. We preserved and renewed the existing stone flooring, and a new parquet floor was chosen for the bedrooms. The bathroom on this level was previously significantly smaller. We appropriated additional space to accommodate both a bathtub and a spacious shower. We designed practical cabinetry for it, including laundry drawers, storage spaces, and two sinks for more convenient organization for the three children simultaneously."
"The master suite is spacious and full of light, which we wanted to preserve. A large wardrobe was planned in a niche at the entrance to the room. Additionally, the dressing room was redesigned with a new pocket door to maximize the space. Around the room, we planned low lighting at knee height to create a romantic and pleasant atmosphere that is not glaring."
"The new bathroom is luxurious and spacious, designed to create a spa-like feeling every time. We designed full-length cabinetry and two sinks—for him and her. The toilet was discreetly placed at the end of the room, with pleasant low lighting created around it and a niche for the toilet paper set into the wall. For the shower, we chose tiles that create a pattern reflected in the mirror above the sink. A floating bench and a marble shelf were installed, designed as features that allow for easy and practical water drainage for ongoing maintenance."