On the top floor of a building that was erected in 1917, in Ukraine, a 212 square metre two level apartment has undergone a complete redevelopment. The interior overhaul involved the relocation of the staircase, in order to reconfigure an underused upper floor. Also, to increase the fun factor of the family home, a large metal slide was installed during the relinking of the first and second floors. This unusual design feature, which was painstakingly tailored to the interior structure by Ki Design, fits with other characterful elements of the unique design scheme. In comparison, the home palette is mild mannered in warm white, soft grey, graphite, and oak, with few intermittent spikes of aqua blue.
The homeowners conveyed their wishes to the design team: “We have enough activities and problems away from home, at home we rest. However, the apartment design shouldn’t absolutely be dull or boring in a year or so, it must contain some special catchy and ‘wow’ elements we’d admire for couple of months and then we’d hear “wows” from our guests. At the same time it should be calm and sweet inside.”
The slide arrangement proved to be a challenge for both the designers and the team of builders. Since the ceiling between the floors was load-bearing, there was a threat to the integrity of the entire building structure should there be removal of even a small part of it. The redevelopment team found themselves tightly limited for places that would accommodate this element. Long-term experiments were conducted, including the creation of full sized mockups. Finally, the optimal form and location for the fun feature slide was accomplished, and the chief wow factor element in the home was achieved.
The interior slide delivers family members to a set of custom built window seats that span two thirds of the living room wall.
A blue comfortable reading chair fills up the final corner of space next to the window seats, along with a matching footstool, and a tripod floor reading lamp.
The slide wraps a wall column clad in wood panelling, which interlocks in a beautiful arrangement. This divides the living room from the kitchen and a dining room.
A chrome arc floor lamp stretches high over the metal slide, to light the walkway behind the back of the sofa.
Geometric and graphic print scatter cushions make the wooden window seats more cosy.
Cross shaped cutouts add interest to the oak window seats.
A rustic small side table serves the modern sofa, in front of a roaring fireplace.
The modern fireplace sits within a whitewashed brick chimney breast. A cut log store towers at one side, and a bookcase climbs the other.
The entry into the kitchen–and the dining room situated off to the right in this image–is a vision of natural greenery thanks to the introduction of a vertical garden.
The living wall works to interlink a mezzanine landing with the lower floor, and marks the descent of the slide’s chute. Unique kitchen pendant lights dangle from the lofty ceiling of the double height space.
An aqua blue dining set nestles in a light box of windows.
All of the aqua blue color accents present in the scheme come in the form of textiles: upholstered dining chairs, the comfortable reading chair, bedroom sets and cushions.
One wall of the kitchen cabinetry is tucked beneath the staircase.
Because of the relocation of the staircase, the kitchen is no longer separated from the living room as it was in the old apartment layout. The new layout now means that the lower floor has is a sociable area with freeflow between the living room, kitchen and dining area. It’s also future-proofed with additional children’s rooms.
The benefit of being on the top floor of the building is that the apartment is able to have many skylights to provide copious amounts of natural light. An internal window lets the daylight flow between the landing and a home office.
The cluster of kitchen pendant lights also illuminate the upper floor.
Inside the home workspace, a bespoke desk has a cool angular design.
A bench seat underlines the internal window.
Also on the second floor is the master bedroom, with an adjoining dressing room and spacious shower room, plus an additional guest bedroom and a private bathroom.
Aqua blue colours the bed comforters in both the master and guest bedrooms. The same black modern wall sconce design punctuates the walls.
The bathrooms follow a more neutral palette.
A backlit vanity mirror crosses the wall above a natural toned vanity unit with a black vessel basin.
The second bathroom is freshened by a living wall installation.
The vertical planters attach to a wood panel above a built-in bathtub.
Hexagonal mirrors make a geometric statement piece above a modern pedestal basin.
The greenery makes a stunning pairing with the natural wood elements in the room.
A smaller bathroom is shaded with a grey-blue accent wall.
The home also contains technical rooms. There is a boiler room with heating and purifying equipment, a laundry room with a washing machine, tumble dryer and the ironing board. The equipment for the ‘smart home’ system is located in the dressing room.
Open risers on the staircase design keep the installation looking light and unobtrusive in the airy living space.
Decorative wall hooks cross the home entryway. A small monochrome pouf sits beneath.
Hexagonal tiles cover the floor.
