This beautiful, harmonious family home in Kyiv, Ukraine popped into my mailbox recently. It was designed by Elena Petresku, who tells me she is safe and well and working as a volunteer while she awaits the opportunity to return home. The apartment belongs to florist Oksana Oliynyk and her family who turned to Elena for help to transform their early 20th century building a few steps from the magnificent Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery into a calm, Scandinavian-inspired oasis. The aim was to create a space where ‘the people and their relationships come to the fore… (and) the interior does not distract from what is important’. After a year long project and tremendous amount of work, the lovely apartment was completed in 2021 – and in my eyes, has achieved everything they set out do – and more! 

For the client, a professional florist, it was important to have a large dining table where she can create bouquets. Over head, two Flowerpot pendants provide light after dark. 

The project included a restructure to make the space more functional. This included uniting the kitchen and living room which then flows through to the master bedroom. A small balcony off the kitchen provides a spot to enjoy a morning coffee.

The interior taps is inspired by the minimalist Nordic expression with natural materials, white and grey colour palette, combined with shades of timber and pared back furnishings. 

A built-in wall-to-wall closet creates a ton of storage in the master bedroom (this type of storage is a game-changer, I have firsthand experience after installing my own wardrobe recently!).

The storage unit in the children’s bedroom was custom-made to maximise space.

Thank you so much for submitting this beautiful apartment Elena!

You can see more of Elena’s work and follow future projects, as well enquire about her interior design service over at @l.petresku. 

You might also like: 

Niki

This beautiful, harmonious family home in Kyiv, Ukraine popped into my mailbox recently. It was designed by Elena Petresku, who tells me she is safe and well and working as a volunteer while she awaits the opportunity to return home. The apartment belongs to florist Oksana Oliynyk and her family who turned to Elena for help to transform their early 20th century building a few steps from the magnificent Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery into a calm, Scandinavian-inspired oasis. The aim was to create a space where ‘the people and their relationships come to the fore… (and) the interior does not distract from what is important’. After a year long project and tremendous amount of work, the lovely apartment was completed in 2021 – and in my eyes, has achieved everything they set out do – and more! 

For the client, a professional florist, it was important to have a large dining table where she can create bouquets. Over head, two Flowerpot pendants provide light after dark. 

The project included a restructure to make the space more functional. This included uniting the kitchen and living room which then flows through to the master bedroom. A small balcony off the kitchen provides a spot to enjoy a morning coffee.

The interior taps is inspired by the minimalist Nordic expression with natural materials, white and grey colour palette, combined with shades of timber and pared back furnishings. 

A built-in wall-to-wall closet creates a ton of storage in the master bedroom (this type of storage is a game-changer, I have firsthand experience after installing my own wardrobe recently!).

The storage unit in the children’s bedroom was custom-made to maximise space.

Thank you so much for submitting this beautiful apartment Elena!

You can see more of Elena’s work and follow future projects, as well enquire about her interior design service over at @l.petresku. 

You might also like: 

Niki