Jun 12, 20202 min read

How to polish a rough diamond | RSH

In each project, I aim to utilize my clients' budget, large as small, in the best possible way, so that the end result has the desired “wow” effect. One of the ways to implement this approach is with smart item-hunting. Sometimes it might require designing custom-made carpentry items that will give the desired impact, but in general – we need to look at the bigger picture, and choose wisely which items will be the main design elements, and which simpler items will complement it as nice background “music”.

A few months ago, clients of mine had purchased an almost ready apartment in a new housing project. The period of time in which they could request structural modifications from the contractor (at a low cost) had long passed, but still, they had a strong desire to adjust the basic apartment they purchased for their needs, as best as possible, while staying within a limited budget.

Just before they received the key, they contacted me and we brainstormed together how to utilize their budget in such a way that maximizes their new apartment’s appearance. I specialize in maximizing the value for money out of any given budget. So, whatever your budget is – I can make it look more expensive 😊

At the beginning of the process, we reviewed the existing plan and found the living room and kitchen's layout to be the main issue. The kitchen was very basic and lacked storage space, and the problematic location of the television dictated that the back of the sofa faced the kitchen.

We decided to add a decent amount of storage space in the kitchen: minimalist white cabinets were placed above the kitchen’s counter and sink; we also altered the shape of the kitchen (from an “L” shape to a “U” shape) by adding a carpentry item containing lower cabinets and another counter on one side, and a TV and shelves facing the living room on the other. From the direction of the entrance, we added open shelves with minimal depth that added a stylish way to hide any potential mess in the kitchen - both elegantly designed and practical 😊

Another major need was more storage space throughout the entire apartment. The dining area was disproportionately large compared to the rest of the apartment. We decided to make it just a little smaller, by adding a 40 cm deep cabinet at ceiling height, thus, adding a much-needed storage space for any purpose. Following the same design style another closet was designed adjacent to the entrance, with storage room for brooms, cleaning tools, hanging coats and shoes etc. In both of these items I’ve combined open wooden compartments. All the surrounding walls were painted with the same calming shade of grey that was also chosen for the cabinets and created a uniform and refined look.