A bold apartment in Moscow

I found this this one-bedroom Moscow apartment on The Village and fell in love. The owners are clearly designers/decorators as it is SO well executed. This is a perfect example of how to use dark colours and large-scale items in a small space for high impact but without making it feel cramped. Several pieces are from Ikea (including the pendants over the dining table with a personal touch of copper leaf on the underside) and many from the couple's travels. I adore everything - especially the large paned mirrors on either side of the mantel, the massive table lamps that delineate the living from dining spaces, the gorgeous blue bedroom walls, and the Venetian mirror mounted on old fence boards. 

{Today, on Remembrance Day, we Canadians honour our veterans. Lest we forget.} 

Click to read more ...

Reader's home - nautical in Russia

Pavel, a reader from Vasilyevsky Island in St. Petersburg, Russia, emailed us with a link to an article of his home featured in The Village. The apartment he shares with his wife and daughter has 4 rooms, and is 105m². They project managed the renovations of their apartment, and came up with a nautical theme for the decor, as they are big fans of yachting. They've got quite a collection of fantastic artwork...and still have wall space they want to fill. They've done a wonderful job, and I'm especially fond of the kitchen. I've always been a fan of those Ikea freestanding units. 

Click to read more ...

The Locals

A big thanks to Alina who sent us the following email: I've recently discovered a cool website, which main purpose is to serve as a meeting point for people looking for flatmates, tenants and apartments to rent. However, the website also has a blog which among other things publishes photos and short articles on the best rentals and apartments in town. While it is really hard to find a decent place in Moscow these apartments are really amazing. The Locals is my new favourite place to get a sneak peek into the homes of ordinary people. Perhaps I can't resist because there are often strategically placed pets in the spaces. :-)

Click to read more ...