Where: Kfar-Saba.
The property: A duplex apartment for a family of four.
Area of the treated floor: About 80 square meters.
Renovation duration: About four months.
Interior design: Ma'ayan Rahav, a graduate of Barbara Berzin's interior designer training studio.
Photography: Omer Dekel.
Welcome to the top floor of the Kfar Sabai duplex where a mother and her two children live.
The grandmother (mother's mother) lives on the first floor. For a long time, many advised the two to sell the property and find a house in its place that would suit them and solve them from dealing with renovations. For their part, they chose to consider the step seriously, in particular because they love the quiet and pleasant neighborhood and of course also the apartment itself, where over the years they have experienced quite a few beautiful moments."
"They didn't believe it was possible, really not, but just before they decided to sell they contacted me to create design options," says Mein Rahab - interior designer and graduate of Barbara Barzin's interior designer training studio, who is in charge of the project. "I created two excellent options for them and we debated between them a lot until in the end the option chosen was the one where I created two private wings, one for the mother and a second wing for the children."
"Throughout the planning process, we faced challenging slopes in the ceiling that we could not touch at all. In addition, the locations of the plumbing and air conditioning infrastructure were also challenging, but we found practical solutions for them as well. The staircase that leads to the roof floor is made of old stone with very prominent panels, and originally there was a wall Gravel between the steps and a window in the center. We decided to dismantle the wall and create a light metal railing that would allow natural light to enter the space through the window and openings and thus create a vital, balanced and pleasant atmosphere."
The mother's new suite is located in a space that was previously used as the children's room: "It is an area that sits under sloping ceilings and therefore, on the face of it, some of the areas in it are perceived as impractical. While the original division was quite standard, and also included a closet and a bathroom, in the new one they planned a huge carpentry hinge which creates a practical buffer between the lowest point on the slope, and still allows a pleasant and comfortable walk in its direction. In this area, we placed the wardrobe, which is a buffer between the very low part of the ceiling slope, and the mother's bedroom The sloped storage. We created a storage space for a parallel season, a lot of hanging and folding, and a place to put the many cosmetics she likes to use."
"In the bathroom in the master bedroom, we designed a spacious and luxurious shower. Due to the location of the plumbing infrastructure, we created a low wall at a height of 120 cm at the back of the toilet and inside the shower, which serves as a shelf for placing bottles, lotions and even green vegetation that always causes joy. Low lighting with a lower light beam, which is optimal especially at night, was woven next to the toilets and we also chose porcelain tiles full of character that create a feeling of nature and a spa."
"The family corner is located at the other end of the corridor and includes a fun sitting area for the whole family in front of the TV as well as carpentry used to store books and toys, from which also extends a comfortable and wide work table. From the entrance of the corridor you can already see the rooms of the two children, which are located in the area that was originally used as the bedroom of The mother is now divided into two: A room for each child designed according to their character and taste. In both, we located the lowest point in the ceiling that would be practical enough for the mother to stand in it without being disturbed.
"The children's bathroom is also used as a laundry room. We decided to create a space that is very bright and full of joy of life. We separated from the bathroom and created for them an especially spacious shower as well as a wide cabinetry that includes a large laundry drawer. For good order, in the cabinetry each child was assigned his own drawer."
"In the laundry corner, sophisticated carpentry was designed for elevated washing machines and dryers. The elevation is designed to make it easier for the user on an ergonomic level and to allow loading and unloading of laundry in an easier and more practical frontal way, without the need to bend and lean over the washing baskets and the machines. Under the machines there are small drawers for placing the laundry baskets, And underneath, high drawers for storing extra laundry above the washing machines, and as much as possible in the area where the ceiling is sloped, I designed additional shelves for storing laundry products and accessories."