We explore an art collector’s home in the historical centre of Kyiv, Ukraine, designed by Yevheniia Dubrovska.
With a brief to create a comfortable space for working, living and entertaining, Ukrainian architect Yevheniia Dubrovska has revitalised a light-filled, spacious apartment for an American art collector. On her approach to the apartment’s design, Yevheniia says, “I used traditional, honest materials as the background and enriched spaces with expressive accents like splashes of colour, stucco work, mouldings and arched shapes where they fit.”
The living space features a bold mix of colours and textures, including a grey B&B Italia Tufty-Time sofa, a pair of vintage mid-century leather lounge chairs, a leather Ligne Roset Togo and a vintage red-toned rug. A vintage Goffredo Reggiani floor lamp also appears in this space.
The Design
The space itself is considered “pure” by Yevheniia, with high ceilings, plenty of natural light and a sophisticated layout. “I like to work with roomy interiors, create on big scales, and design with bold strokes,” she shares.
The spaces are divided into two zones: public and private. The public zone consists of a kitchen, living room, guest room, home office and laundry, while the private zone consists of a large bedroom, plus a connecting bathroom and walk-in robe. A blue hallway fit with an arched door dramatically links the two zones.
The client requested that the material palette consists of mostly local materials to pay homage to Ukrainian design and craftsmanship – materials such as the speckled granite in the kitchen and the herringbone floors throughout. Coinciding with this serene base palette is a bold and eclectic collection of furniture, art and lighting. The various paintings that colour the apartment’s walls are especially noteworthy, having been expertly selected by the owner.
The kitchen features the Menu Space Afteroom bar chair, Gubi 9464 brass wall lamp and Vitra Akari pendant 75A.
Space Spotlight: The Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of the apartment, both metaphorically and in the sense of its layout. The arched door at the end of the island bench was tailor-made by Yevheniia and leads to an office space – the window above it taking inspiration from Art Deco patterns. To the right of that door lies the blue hallway, which leads to the private zone, and the left lies the entrance to the guest bedroom.
The kitchen’s two-toned palette of locally-sourced granite and timber veneer contrasts with the rest of the interiors, which are on the whole, more colourful and experimental.
Travelling down the blue hallway toward the primary bedroom; to the left lies a spacious bathroom clad in striking white marble.
An arched door separates the private zone from the public.
The bedroom features the Fritz Hansen Egg chair, Flos Tab LED F floor lamp, Fritz Hansen Kaiser Idell Scissor wall lamp and Menu Space JWDA table lamp.
A walk-in robe is situated to the left as you enter the primary bedroom.
