The Apartment With a Lizard Is a Bold, Surrealist Home in Kyiv

OBRIY.architects has completed the 'PORTAL' apartment in the center of Kiev, Ukraine, an ample residence designed to maximize natural light and offer stunning city views. The design approach emphasizes a harmonious blend of natural materials and a warm-toned color palette, creating an organic and earthy atmosphere throughout the 1130 sq ft (105 m2) space. A key design element is the intentional emphasis on the apartment's windows. To highlight these openings, OBRIY created a gallery feature with timber-covered shelves and walls, strategically positioned between the windows. This gallery serves as a visual connector, linking the kitchen and dining areas with the lounge zone. Further enhancing the clean lines of this gallery, heating elements beneath the windows are concealed within custom-built wooden boxes, which also integrate additional storage drawers. The material selection extends to the flooring and walls, where a warm grey concrete floor complements decorative plaster applied to effect walls. The remaining walls are painted in an off-white hue, contributing to the overall organic and earthy color scheme that pervades the apartment. The kitchen, a creation by Steininger, presents a monolithic aesthetic with precise lines. A distinctive feature of this kitchen is a stainless steel element incorporating a herb garden. The designers opted for a white finish for the kitchen island, introducing a pure accent that seamlessly integrates with the apartment's broader color palette. The dining area is furnished with a large table crafted from bleached American ash, accompanied by minimalist chairs that echo the table's clean lines. Lighting fixtures in this area are sourced from Australian designer Amee Allsop. In the lounge zone, a modular sofa by Paola Lenti offers versatility, with independent units allowing for various layout configurations. The television stand is uniquely fashioned from substantial wooden beams with natural edges, while the wall behind the television is treated with natural plaster to create a textured, organic backdrop. This plaster effect is consistently applied in the bedroom, fostering a cozy and relaxing ambiance. The bedroom also incorporates the same design principle of boxing heating elements and integrating drawers for a cohesive look. The master bathroom, adjacent to the bedroom, features walls adorned with tiles from Sant’Agostino Ceramics' ‘set’ collection. The flooring utilizes the same microcement found in the kitchen and living room. Washbasins by Ceramica Galassia, with their cylindrical shape and thin edges, offer a blend of geometrical precision and elegance. All ceramic fixtures in the bathroom are rendered in black, serving to emphasize their forms against the neutral backdrop. The project was conceived and executed by OBRIY.architects, reflecting a thoughtful integration of natural aesthetics and functional design. #apartmentDesign #naturalMaterials #warmTones #KievArchitecture #interiorDesign #modernLiving #timberElements #concreteFlooring #minimalistDecor

The article profiles Thomas Lollar, a ceramicist, teacher, and avid collector, and his 500-square-foot one-bedroom apartment in a prewar building near Columbia University. Lollar, who has been on the faculty at Columbia University’s Teachers College since 1988, is known for his extensive and eclectic collection of utilitarian objects and historical artifacts. His apartment, which the author describes as an “orderly jumble of all manner of curiosities,” houses items ranging from Roman keys and a traveling sundial to silver Italian Futurist objects and a Georgian English Paul Storr tureen. Lollar’s collecting passion began as a teenager when he discovered a 1706 silver medallion. Since then, he has amassed nearly 400 medallions in bronze and silver, alongside a diverse array of other historical items. His collection is not merely for display; Lollar frequently incorporates pieces into his studio art classes at Columbia, using them to inspire students to consider the historical context and meaning embedded in the objects they create. He emphasizes the stories these everyday objects tell about the lives of people from different eras. Among the notable items mentioned are a 2,000-year-old bronze strigil, an ancient Roman grooming device, and Etruscan hand mirrors. Lollar highlights the different cultural significance of reflection in the ancient world, noting the rarity of seeing one's own image before the advent of modern mirrors. His own artistic work, created in collaboration with Ricardo Arango, draws inspiration from these ancient hand mirrors and is slated for exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Despite the small size of his apartment, Lollar continuously finds space for new acquisitions. The article details various areas of his home, including a living room adorned with a Charles X secretary, a French Empire painting, and a Jim Dine silver Venus sculpture. The kitchen, described as a galley kitchen, remains unused for cooking, while the bathroom walls are covered with Fornasetti plates, and the ceiling features a hand-applied fragment of a 1748 Nolli map of Rome. His bedroom is custom-fitted to maximize space, with every inch of wall utilized. The article concludes by illustrating Lollar's ongoing fascination with historical objects, citing his recent discovery of a working 18th-century French lock that quickly found its place among his collection of ancient keys. #GreatRooms #DesignHunting #ThomasLollar #NewYorkMagazine #ArtCollector #InteriorDesign #Ceramicist #HistoricalArtifacts #NYCArchitecture

MAKHNO Studio, an architectural firm, has completed its latest project, the 'Oko House,' a private residence situated in the suburbs of Kiev, Ukraine. The two-level structure is designed with a distinctive circular opening in its main façade, which is gridded with steel bars, offering views of the surrounding natural green landscape. The name 'Oko', meaning 'eye' in Ukrainian, reflects this key architectural feature. The design incorporates various sculptures made from different materials, strategically placed across the terraced site to enhance the sophisticated architectural solutions. A notable feature of the Oko House is a terrace concealed behind Japanese-inspired sliding doors. This area includes a fireplace integrated into the floor and overlooks an artificial pond. The pond itself is adorned with an authentic sculpture of a man gazing upwards, adding a contemplative element to the outdoor space. The architects have meticulously integrated traditional Japanese décor throughout the garden, with a bonsai tree serving as the central focus, complemented by numerous small ornamental elements scattered across the property. The transition between the interior and exterior spaces of the Oko House is marked by a long, square-cornered arch. This concrete structure is positioned on the upper level of the land and functions as a grand gateway to the residence. The rear of the house accommodates a car garage and the main entrance to the property. Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a stone yard, setting a tranquil and organized tone for the entire premises. The project details confirm that the Oko House was completed in 2018. The architects responsible for this design are Alexander Kovpak and Sergey Makhno, both from MAKHNO Studio. The location in Kyiv, Ukraine, emphasizes the studio's ability to blend diverse cultural aesthetics, specifically Japanese garden traditions, within a modern Ukrainian residential context. The overall design prioritizes a harmonious relationship between the built environment and nature, creating a serene and visually engaging living space. #MAKHNOStudio #OkoHouse #JapaneseGarden #UkrainianArchitecture #KievSuburbs #ResidentialDesign #ArchitecturalSculptures #TraditionalJapaneseDecor

The Designer Show House, a biennial event sponsored by the Village Improvement Association in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, showcases diverse interior and exterior design inspirations across its 6,000 square feet of space and nearly an acre of outdoor areas. This event serves as a platform for regional designers to present their expertise and offers visitors a wealth of ideas for their own homes. One featured space is a sunken living room, designed by Kate FitzGerald-Wilks of Timeless Design in Landenberg, Pennsylvania. This room embodies a West Indies aesthetic, characterized by bold lines, soft sandy hues, and rich textures. Key elements include vintage stick bamboo chairs painted black, adorned with Kuba cloth and Ralph Lauren zebra-stripe pillows on a slipcovered camel-backed sofa. A mid-century hutch is repurposed as a cocktail bar, complemented by sculptural metal and glass console tables flanking the fireplace. Wood mirrors with faux tortoise shell lean against textured wallpaper, while modern sculptures and art blend with antique books and global treasures. FitzGerald-Wilks also designed the dining room, aiming for a dramatic effect with a backdrop of 200 wine bottles and a striking Dolcetti chandelier crafted from shells and crystals, evoking sea glass. An 8-foot-long reclaimed wine rack sits atop a buffet. The room's color palette consists of soft creams and tans, punctuated by emerald green accents in the chandelier and wine bottles. Windows are framed with woven ikat print panels. An airy sunroom, conceived by Alfred Wolf Home (a new venture from Design Center of Rehoboth or DCOR), was designed to create a light-filled, contemporary transition between the house and garden. This involved removing existing French doors and window grills, painting the room in various shades of white and French gray-green, and incorporating textural elements of white canvas, iron, and marble. The family room, also by DCOR, maintained the warmth of its original paneling and fireplace stone, setting the foundation for a soft khaki and cream palette. The room is furnished with herringbone, tweed, and leather fabrics, offset by tortoise shell wood finishes and local tidal scene artwork. Mary Stewart of M. Stewart Interiors in Bear designed the upstairs hobby room, named "Just Us," intended as a shared family space for various pastimes like painting, photography, reading, chess, and Lego building. The room features updated cherished family heirlooms and is painted simply white to highlight paintings by Nadia Zychal. Nile Johnson of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, designed the second-floor paneled library, drawing inspiration from Rehoboth's laid-back yet cosmopolitan atmosphere. This space offers an updated interpretation of a classic library, decorated in layers of sandy tans. Cyndi and Ron Oronzio and Cathie Sheetz of Dreamweaver Interiors of Rehoboth Beach decorated a bedroom and bath, inspired by vibrantly patterned fabrics. They utilized Robert Allen fabrics as wallpaper for an accent wall, building the room's design around this print. The team selected fabrics for their depth, crisp patterns, contrasting textures, and detailed embroidery, incorporating a bright coral pink accent color and rhinestone embellishments for a feminine touch. Brenda Carder of blcINTERIORS of Rehoboth Beach designed a small guest bedroom, combining natural cotton and linen fabrics with metal and reclaimed wood. Crown moldings add formality. To compensate for limited sunlight, the room was kept light and bright, with a deep navy blue accent wall and touches of bright yellow for warmth. The second floor features art by Libby Zando of Zando Designs and Art Affects in Milton, alongside works by award-winning regional artists. Boardwalk Builders of Rehoboth transformed a hallway into a gallery space by adding wainscot paneling, creating an updated cottage aesthetic that visually broadened the hallway. Mark A. Polo of The Urban Dweller in Boonton, New Jersey, designed the master suite, aiming for comfort with soft textural colors ranging from taupe to blue. The furniture is upholstered to enhance the room's softness, featuring taupe draperies of embroidered sheer linen and silk edged in leather and freshwater pearls. Blonde floors are softened by a long-fiber rug. Outdoors, Erin Walls and Justin Bartels of Bella Terra Landscaping in Lincoln repurposed existing flagstone patios and walkways, adding new stones to create a Celtic-inspired design. The layout divides the space into a grand area for social gatherings and secluded nooks for quiet retreats. Creative Concepts Furniture of Lewes and Ocean View furnished the patios as outdoor rooms with bright coastal colors, including a sectional, loveseat, dining area for six, and lounge chairs, inviting visitors to envision themselves in the setting. #DesignerShowHouse #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #RehobothBeach #DelawareDesign #LuxuryInteriors #OutdoorLiving #DesignInspiration