Apartment on the roof: a loft in an old Moscow house

Is it possible to fit a modern loft into an old housewith a rich history and an already established facade? How to find harmony between the inside and the outside? What you need to know when furnishing an attic with an outdoor terrace? We are looking for answers to these questions using the example of a project of a modern apartment under the roof from Irina Buldina. Today, the loft is at the peak of its popularity. Its target audience is becoming wider: both the student and the banker want to decorate their home in this style. The new project by designer Irina Buldina is an example of a surprisingly organic combination of fashion trends with the timeless comfort and architecture of an old building. Read about how he was born, what to do with four open terraces and where real oases came from in an ordinary Moscow attic, read in this article. Irina Buldina, designer A graduate of the International School of Design, work experience - 15 years, including 3 years as a full-time designer in the Basic Element group. In 2008 she founded the design studio of Irina Buldina. He works in the premium segment, deals with private projects and offices. Professional credo: “To create memorable, ergonomically verified spaces in which you want to LIVE. It's nice to surprise the customer with our work - to expand the boundaries of his knowledge and taste. " facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001758800736 This project does not have a specific customer - it was prepared for a competition from the developer. That is why the designer's imagination was not limited by any conditions, except for one thing - the output should be a loft-style interior. Among the additional requests, only the absence of whitewashed walls and rusty pipes was mentioned. Irina Buldina, designer:- I decided that my customer is a modern man leading an active lifestyle. In this space, a variety of scenarios and moods have been thought out for him: from solitary meditations and romantic meetings to sports and parties with friends. However, it seems to me that a woman would settle within these walls with no less pleasure. The place of the potential interior was an old house in the very center of Moscow - on the Boulevard Ring. This is a real architectural monument, which was taken for restoration with a further superstructure of the floor. For work, Irina chose an apartment under the roof. In the developer's project, there are open terraces along the entire perimeter of the apartment along the ceiling line. Considering that a real buyer is unlikely to need so much “street” and it would be more rational to increase the usable area, it was decided to take three terraces into a residential insulated area. The design of the glazing of the terraces should harmoniously fit into the already formed image of the building. Irina Buldina, designer:- I didn’t get hung up on a one hundred percent loft - it is not within these walls by definition. We all know that a loft is originally an industrial building adapted for a dwelling, so I was guided first of all by my feelings: I did what these walls “asked”. I supported the style of the loft with the layout of the apartment: I preserved a single space as much as possible without walls and partitions, leaving only semantic zoning. Terraces deserve special attention. In my project, two of them - with an area of 44 m2 and 41 m2 - after being insulated and equipped with a triple glass unit, became living rooms in the open air, forming a living room and a spa area. Another terrace - 87 m2 - is proposed to be used as a glazed summer terrace. In addition, on this terrace, there are two insulated rooms with an area of 18 m2, which can be used as dressing rooms or as rooms for household needs (for example, as a place for winter storage of summer equipment from an open terrace). On a large corner outdoor terrace - 106 m2 - a barbecue area, sofa groups, a summer kitchen, a lawn, sun loungers, exercise equipment, green spaces and a rock garden are planned. The open terrace is equipped with drainage drains along the perimeter. On the terraces reserved for living space, so-called oasis zones have been developed - plantings of indoor plants. Irina Buldina, designer: - Privacy:open space, meditative photographs, stars, open sky overhead. Fireplace and spa area. Romantic mood is the main purpose of this apartment. Everything here is saturated with romance! And if the soul asks for a holiday, all the delights of a secluded life can be shared in pleasant company: both the inner space of the living room and the outdoor terrace are always ready to receive guests. The apartment has all the conditions for receiving guests: a spacious living room, a sofa in front of a modern fireplace and, of course, a lot of free space. And in summer, on the open terrace, you can arrange parties for a fairly large company. The fireplace, in addition to the cozy color, carries the function of dividing the space: it separates the common area from the private one. You can contemplate the beauty of living fire from any point. But, of course, the best places will be in the immediate vicinity, on both sides of the fireplace: this is a sofa and. Another element of the loft style:The dressing area is located behind the head of the bed and consists of free-standing wardrobe frames, which, in addition, serve as a screen from the windows to the courtyard. Between the dressing area and the headboard there is an open space in which a small punching bag is located to maintain the owner's athletic form. The bed offers a picturesque view: an open bathroom with a luscious oasis and a starry sky. Sliding partitions serve for zoning: according to your mood, they can separate the spa terrace area so that the sun's rays do not wake up in the morning. Perforated partitions also function as night curtains. They also fill the space with intricate shadows and sunbeams. The spa terrace features a spacious sauna withpanoramic glazing, and two colorful shower "pipes" support the urban theme. The large bathtub is made of concrete using modern technologies. The enclosing structure for plants is also made of it. Behind the sauna, on the floor, there is a massive multifunctional mattress for relaxation after a sauna, massage or the usual daytime rest. The kitchen is also located in a single open space and is made in the form of an island, smoothly turning into a massive tabletop of a dining table without legs. The table top is held in place by a slab of natural stone. Irina Buldina, designer: - Although the loft implies a single large space, small secluded places in the apartment are also provided. So, along the highest wall there is a two-level space (two bathrooms), a small guest bathroom from the entrance hall and a second bathroom. On the mezzanine there is an extra secluded bedroom.