An energetic and adventurous young woman with a passionate approach to life enlisted the expertise of interior designer Ekaterina Yakovenko. When not engaged in her entrepreneurial activities, she indulges in travel, enjoys golf, and is always on the go. Her aspiration to reside outside the city was motivated by a longing to be closer to nature and her preferred sporting activity.
Project Name: 320 sqm suburban Moscow residence
Studio Name: Ekaterina Yakovenko
Photo credit: Sergey Krasyuk
Style by: Dasha Soboleva
The design challenge was a three-story house spanning 320 square meters with a flexible initial layout, allowing for detailed customization. The homeowner’s specific request was for the entrance to reveal a view of a quaint inner courtyard, leading to the strategic placement of a dining area in front of an open terrace and the integration of the living room with the kitchen.
The second and third floors house four separate suites, each comprising a bedroom, a walk-in closet, and a bathroom, accommodating the regular visits from the client’s mother, sister, and daughter.
The design was grounded in three principal desires: dynamic line movement, attention to detail, and texture variation to enhance light play. These elements mirror the client’s personality, pace of life, and preferences, shaping the interior’s ambiance.
The color scheme mirrors the client’s favorite shades, incorporating blue with turquoise nuances, dark bronze, and sophisticated complex colors. “During our initial meeting, we determined the primary colors, opting for a metallic bronze in the kitchen and a palette of turquoise and blue for the furnishings,” Yakovenko notes.
An engaging light play is crafted throughout the rooms and staircase, creating an enigmatic atmosphere akin to a theatre’s backstage at dusk, with the strategic placement of spotlights.
Yakovenko highlights, “The living room’s fireplace, finished with distinctive quartzite over traditional marble, forms the central feature, its natural pattern evoking images of clouds or mountain ranges in monochromatic light gray.” Decorative elements include filigree patterns and gypsum compositions resembling pearls on the walls and doors, and the staircase boasts wrought-iron railings with wave-like balusters.
The choice of furniture leans towards sleek modern designs, with the kitchen by Modulnova, soft furnishings by B&B Italia, and a dining set by Ceppi Style. Custom elements like bookshelves, dining room portals, crystal chandeliers, and the fireplace were created from the designer’s sketches. A Christopher Guy coffee table and a carefully selected painting that captures the interior’s spirit enhance the living room’s uniqueness.
Yakovenko reflects, “Each project is a journey through beauty, aiming to create a distinct aesthetic. This process, filled with dedication and time—a valuable asset I believe should be spent on true beauty—is what brings fulfillment to my work.”
