‘It was as if absolute silence reigned,’ recalls Olimpiada Arefieva of the first time she saw this apartment. For the interior designer and founder of Well Done Interiors, it was a a true blank canvas, a completely neutral space with no features that defined any one particular style.
This lack of character, however, opened the door to a profound creative intervention and the interior designer took full advantage of it to create a universe with a strong personality. Since a functional foundation was established and no changes to the finishes were necessary, the challenge was to introduce a sense of identity and expression solely through the decor.
The house had a nicely balanced layout and Olimpiada didn’t make any drastic changes to that. On one hand, the social area was organised around a spacious living-dining room, while the bedrooms, of more modest dimensions, offered privacy and tranquility. In addition, there was a generous terrace – one of the spaces in the house most used by the owners, which was designed as a natural extension of the interior, expanding the living space and reinforcing the connection between inside and out.
The owner’s affinity for art, colour and bold prints shaped the project’s direction. The strategy was clear: maintain the architectural neutrality as a backdrop and layer a selection of vibrant design pieces capable of transforming the overall atmosphere. In the living area, the visual focus is on a Svenskt Tenn daybed designed in 1938 by Josef Frank, upholstered in a fabric based on his archival drawings. The vintage botanical print introduces an organic counterpoint to the dominant stripes in the space.
The dining room played a decisive role in defining the apartment’s visual language. An existing circular recess in the ceiling became the starting point for articulating the space. The choice of a round table made of recycled plastic, designed by Dirk van der Kooij, reinforced this geometry. Its surface, composed of a unique combination of yellow, lavender, terracotta, pink and mint, evokes energetic brushstrokes, making each table a one-of-a-kind piece.
Around it were arranged armchairs by Normann Copenhagen and an imposing, deep green lamp, almost two metres in diameter, designed by the Portuguese studio Royal Stranger. The use of lavender-toned plastic continues in the bar stools, establishing a fluid chromatic transition between the kitchen and dining room.
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The bedrooms maintained the same compositional logic: a neutral base enriched with large-format prints, designed specifically for the project. The combination of patterns at different scales and the incorporation of unique pieces reinforce the identity of each room. In the main bedroom, the layering of two rugs — instead of a single large piece — intensifies the expressive dimension of the space and adds greater visual depth.
The ensemble reveals a carefully constructed balance between architectural restraint and decorative exuberance. On a serene foundation, colour, patterns and unique forms build a coherent interior narrative, capable of transforming the original neutrality into a space brimming with character. wdinteriors.ru
