It took Russian interior designer Olga Malyeva two years to furniture and decorate this apartment for her family. Her patience certainly paid off, because everything came together perfectly in a home that’s a work of art, with plenty of heart.
“I don’t think I’ve worked on any other project that’s challenged me to evolve as a designer and creator as much as this home of my own. I was the most strict and demanding client I have ever encountered!” says Olga. Scroll through the galley below (Photography: Michael Loskutov; Styling: Natalia Onufreichuk) to find out more:
Located on the sixth floor or a contemporary apartment building in the vibrant, central Moscow district of Hamovniki, her 2,700-square-foot, three-bedroom family residence was formerly two separate apartment units before she combined them into a single dwelling. Taking advantage of the building’s tall ceilings and large windows, the creative mind meticulously curated new and complex volumes within the unified space.
The new floorplan includes a sun-drenched, open-plan living, dining and kitchen. These social areas are connected to four ensuite bedrooms and a second kitchen via a long hallway that provides an apt backdrop for some of the project’s eye-catching art and décor.
Olga used stunning bespoke cabinetry and feature walls, designer furniture and lighting, and texturally intriguing fabrics, surface materials and accessories to develop a visually dynamic narrative within the space.
She complemented iconic mid-century modern furniture with her very own artisan-crafted, bespoke designs, which include several wall installations, light fixtures, tables and built-in sofas.
“I included artwork from different artists around the world and carpets that I designed to elevate the concept and give the interiors a unique and playful character,” says Olga.
At the entryway are chandeliers by Venetian glass specialist Simone Cenedese and custom-made stools upholstered in Tibor, tassel-detail fabrics that were built to fit into corners of the entryway.
Along the hallway, a console draws eyes to an aquamarine-coloured vase by Los Angeles-based, Italian glass sculptor Fabio Micucci, a circular wall art by British contemporary artist Marc Quin, bespoke, handcrafted, fused glass sconces, and 292 Hill House 1 chairs designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh for Cassina.
In the living lounge, a stunning metal panel by American industrial designer and artist Christopher Prinz, a triptych by Russian watercolourist Latif Kazbekov, a pair of Olga’s signature Morceau de Glace wall lamps, and a solid pine, Pierre Chapo T22 coffee table harmonized to evoke a dramatic and sumptuous mise-en-scène. A Milo Baughman sofa with lucite legs serves as a visual boundary demarcating the living and dining areas. A bespoke, built-in marble bench that runs along the length of the windowed wall functions as a reading spot or extra seating for guests. The lounge’s caisson ceiling conceals a built-in home cinema system.
In the dining area is one of Olga’s favourite items – her custom-designed “Iceberg” dining table, which she is accompanied by Warren Platner dining chairs dressed in a soft wool boucle from Beacon Hill. “The resin of the ‘Iceberg’ has a sugar-like texture that gives the table its own identity. It’s a piece of furniture and sculpture all in one,” she says.
Parallel to the dining table is a sleek, steel kitchen set discretely against a glossy, emerald quartzite wall that’s fitted with a minimalist shelf and two side niches.
Olga also designed the bedframe and headboard in the master bedroom, which she dressed in luxurious Graphite cotton boucle from Tibor and linens from AtelierTati. She also designed the handcrafted, fused glass “Les Papillons” wall installation that spreads across the wall behind her bed.
In her children’s rooms, she included ample storage spaces, study zones and nooks for sports equipment. She connected the two rooms with a “secret passage” hidden within the walk-in wardrobe. “The dazzling personalities of my family members are the inspiration behind this home. I worked on this project with enormous love and was meticulous about every detail,” says Olga.
