Fireplaces are in short supply in Moscow – there are few houses with chimneys. But designers come to the rescue. The truth is that most owners of their own fireplace rarely light a fire in it – it is too troublesome. More often than not, the fireplace plays a decorative role in the interior. And a decorative fireplace will do an excellent job of this task.

Apartment on the Moskva River embankment designed by Ekaterina Yakovenko. Photo: Sergey Krasyuk/Press Service Archive. Stylist: Natalia Onufreychuk.

In this small apartment, designer Ekaterina Yakovenko used a classic technique where the wooden paneling of the walls continues with built-in cabinets, and the fireplace mantel is part of this “one-piece” construction. The feeling of authenticity is created by the careful elaboration of the wooden elements, the firebox lined with antique bricks, and the classic clock on the mantelpiece.