House with the quartzite fireplace in the suburbs of Moscow

The owner of this three-story house, a young businesswoman with an active lifestyle, who loves traveling and golfing, always dreamed of living outside the city to spend more time outdoors and pursue her favorite sport.

Interior designer Ekaterina Yakovenko was tasked with bringing this dream to life and creating an elegant and comfortable home. Initially, the 320 m² house had an open-plan layout, allowing for detailed planning. The owner desired a view of a small courtyard from the entrance, inspiring Ekaterina to design the dining area directly in front of the open terrace and combine the living room with the kitchen.

The private zones on the second and third floors consist of four independent blocks, each with a bedroom, walk-in closet, and bathroom. This layout accommodates the frequent visits of the owner's mother, sister, and daughter.

The design project was guided by the owner's three main wishes: movement in lines, beauty in details, and the play of textures reflecting light. The interior mood fully reflects the owner's inner world, her lifestyle, and preferences. For example, her favorite colors, such as blue with turquoise undertones, dark bronze, and unique complex hues, were incorporated into the palette.
 "In our very first meeting, we agreed on the main interior palette and decided that the kitchen would have a metallic bronze tone, while all furniture would be in various shades of turquoise and blue," says Ekaterina Yakovenko.

In this project, the designer achieved an intriguing lighting effect in the rooms and on the staircase. When darkness falls and the spotlight is on, the beams refract in a certain way, creating a sensation akin to being in a mysterious backstage theater awaiting the beginning of a performance.
 "The fireplace in the living room became the compositional center, and for its finishing, I used an unusual type of quartzite instead of the typical marble. Its natural pattern resembles a picturesque depiction of clouds or mountain peaks in monochromatic light gray tones," emphasizes Ekaterina.
 Decorative elements such as small pearls on fillets and gypsum inlay adorn the walls and door panels. The staircase is adorned with forged handrails, while the balusters resemble the curve of a wave.

For this house, the designer and owner primarily chose modern furniture. For instance, the kitchen is from Modulnova, the soft furniture from B&B Italia, and the dining table and chairs from Ceppi Style. Custom-made compositions for books and interior decor near the fireplace, portals to the dining room, crystal chandeliers in the living room and kitchen, and the fireplace itself were crafted according to the project author's sketches.
 A designer coffee table from Christopher Guy adorns the living room, adding a personal touch to the interior. Additionally, Yakovenko found a painting that encapsulated the space's mood and emphasized its uniqueness.

"For me, every project is a small life lived, filled with contemplation of beauty. Creating unique aesthetics is the beauty we achieve in the end. This process requires a lot of time and effort, and for me, time is a priceless resource that should be spent only on true beauty," shares Ekaterina Yakovenko.

Source:https://www.dwell.com/home/house-with-the-quartzite-fireplace-in-the-suburbs-of-moscow-0d75bd2c