Home tour: An eclectic apartment in Moscow with dramatic colours and bold furnishings

Olimpiada Arefieva of Well Done Interiors conjures a riveting aura of drama and unparalleled boldness

When architect and interior designer Olimpiada Arefieva was first commissioned to design the apartment facing the river in the Moscow city centre, it was the late 19th century architecture that drew her in.

“The building stands out due to its striking design, featuring a noticeable incline on two out of its four façades,” describes the founder of Well Done Interiors. “Due to this, several walls of all the apartments in the building are also inclined towards the centre of the rooms, which makes a great impact.”

Furthermore, upon entry into the 2,150 sq ft apartment, the spectacular five-metre ceiling height made an impression on Arefieva: “It is not something you often see in city apartments, and I immediately loved the floor-to-ceiling windows and the wood-burning fireplace.”

Above Olimpiada Arefieva of Well Done Interiors

“I was so impressed by the proportions of the space in general and ceiling height in particular that I wanted to highlight them and make a bold statement,” she adds.

The Baroque architecture spurred on creative ideas for an interior design with the industrial aesthetic of New York lofts that called for an additional mezzanine floor in the centre part of the home to accommodate additional rooms.

Currently, the apartment spans 2,750 sq ft, making it a spacious pied-à-terre for a couple who are highly educated professionals in transnational corporations. Their adult daughter, while based in London, has her own room in the residence too.

Above The dark blue entry hall with matching wall lights and fabrics

Above The Dimorestudio chandelier hangs off an ornate moulding

For the clients who live in several countries, and are passionate about art and reading, they wanted their holiday home to have a lot of character, and reflect their personality.

“I wanted to create a design based on a complex mix of styles and eras, while considering the context of the modern building with a very strong architectural idea,” explains Arefieva. “My idea was to create an artistic space in deep colours with muted light, using a lot of table lamps and wall lights to create different lighting scenarios.”

Italian-infused inspirations like Dimorestudio and their vintage vibes–alongside Renzo Mongiardino and Studio Peregalli–were the starting point for Arefieva to bring one-of-a-kind interiors to life.

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Eclectic colours and Italian-infused boldness

Photo 1 of 2 An eclectic collection of furnishings in the high-ceilinged living room

Photo 2 of 2 Industrial-style wall partitions and panelled glass doors divide the living room from the kitchen and dining areas

Above The mezzanine floor was added to accommodate additional rooms

Above The opulent marble fireplace between the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves

She combines architectural heritage with a luxurious symphony of master colours like pink, burgundy, sepia, blue and green, and boldly mixes furniture and glass lighting, where industrial meets classic with a bold and contemporary twist.

“I looked through a large number of interior photographs with the homeowners to understand the taste and preferences, and I noticed that they picked mostly dark interiors in rich and deep colours with light sculptural pieces of furniture,” recalls Arefieva, when she was just starting to work on each room.

She goes on: “These tones are great backgrounds for the artworks, while the iridescence of glass creates a special atmosphere and works great with deep wall colours. So, I decided to use them not only on the walls, but also on the ceilings.”

Above The kitchen and dining area

Above A marble island centrepiece underneath the burgundy ceiling

Above A feast for the eyes both inside the apartment and outside

Complementing the architectural ceilings and bold fabrics, the interior designer decided to use very simple materials: “Painted walls, natural wood and cement tiles for the floors, and patterned wallpapers for low-ceiling rooms.”

The entry hall encompasses immediately with a Dimorestudio chandelier, to which Arefieva comments: “It’s like your personal cosmos meets you when you enter your home.”

The hallway leads into the high-ceilinged living room with warm grey walls and a burgundy ceiling. An enveloping atmosphere to read books and drink a glass of wine after a busy day amidst an eclectic collection of furnishings next to a marble fireplace and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.

Above The staircase built into the apartment leads to the mezzanine level

Above The cosy study on the mezzanine floor overlooks the living room

The similar coloured walls and ceiling persist in the kitchen and dining area, where the surrounding city views are displayed through the floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows.

The space is divided into several blocks, because “the homeowners didn’t want their kitchen to look too obvious or boring,” Arefieva elaborates.

Above Custom-made blue terrazzo shower walls in the main bath

Above A matching blue terrazzo countertop on the mezzanine level

The first block features a big marble island centrepiece by Strasser Steine with an integrated hood, oven and cooktop; whereas the second houses an integrated and hidden fridge and coffee machine.

The third comprises the sink, dishwasher machine and wine fridge, integrated into industrial-style wall partitions made of black metal that divide the space from the living area.

Here, one of the two additional staircases built into the apartment leads to a cosy study on the mezzanine level.

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Above The daughter's bedroom is pink-hued with a mustard coffered ceiling

Above Pearly pink walls contrast the contemporary furniture with bold patterns

Arefieva crafted the daughter’s bedroom out of audacious colours underneath the coffered ceilings. The pale, pearly pink walls provide a glowing backdrop for the rich mustard ceiling and heavy-patterned furniture.

Meanwhile, the main bedroom suite contrasts with its rich blue and green toned walls, paired with a terracotta ceiling from which a Bella Figura chandelier hangs.

“The green was the most complicated shade to find,” Arefieva confesses. “I had about 15 swatches to choose from with the homeowners.”

Above The opulent and rich-coloured main bedroom suite with an overhanging chandelier

Above The staircase here leads to the main bath and wardrobe on the mezzanine floor

Another staircase in the main bedroom leads to the wardrobe and the main bath, where the custom-made blue terrazzo countertop matches those of the shower walls.

“As an architect I love working with complex spaces, and as a decorator I love dealing with colour, patterns and exquisite fabrics, which was exactly what my clients wanted,” Arefieva concludes. “This mix of baroque architecture in an industrial-inspired building is something I am really proud of.”

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Credits

Photography

Sergey Ananiev

Topics

Colours Baroque industrial maximalism

Tatler Asia

Home tour: An eclectic apartment in Moscow with dramatic colours and bold furnishings