A Family Cottage in Astana Rebuilt for Modern Living

In Astana, a former 1990s family cottage has been given an entirely new future through a substantial reconstruction that balances memory with modernity. Designed for successful entrepreneurs and their five children, the 250-square-metre home was reimagined not simply as a beautiful interior, but as a deeply functional family residence — one able to support the demands of daily life while also offering the grace and generosity required for entertaining.

The result is a home that feels calm, elegant and quietly assured, where modern neoclassicism is softened by tactile materials, pastel tones and a strong sense of emotional warmth.

Rebuilding a House from the Ground Up

Over time, it became clear that the original house required more than cosmetic updating. Architecturally and spatially, the structure no longer served the needs of a large contemporary family. What followed was not a conventional renovation, but a full-scale reconstruction. Sections were partially demolished, the plan was redesigned, façades were renewed and the interior was rebuilt from the foundation through to the finest decorative detail.

New extensions and volumes were introduced, while the walls, floors and ceilings were comprehensively reworked. The goal was not only to modernise the house, but to create an entirely new quality of living — brighter, more functional and more attuned to the everyday rhythm of a busy household.

The planning now separates public and private life with clarity. On the ground floor, the home is arranged around social interaction, with an entrance hall, living room, dining area, everyday family dining zone, main kitchen, working kitchen, staff block, wardrobe area and guest bathroom. This is the most active and communal part of the house, designed for conversation, gathering and shared meals.

The upper floor is reserved for privacy. Here, the master bedroom includes its own walk-in wardrobe and bathroom, while the children’s wing accommodates twin girls, younger children and the eldest daughter. The zoning allows the family to be together without sacrificing personal space — an essential consideration in a home of this scale and purpose.

An Interior Drawn from the Family Itself

Rather than beginning with a fixed aesthetic, the designer drew inspiration from the family’s character and relationships. In particular, the image of the homeowner — an elegant, modern woman and mother of five — helped shape the mood of the interiors. The brief was not only to create something refined, but to express the warmth, dignity and inner harmony of the home itself.

That emotional foundation guided the stylistic direction. Through close and ongoing dialogue with the clients, a palette of calm pastels, clean lines and visual restraint emerged. The aim was to eliminate unnecessary visual noise and to create an interior where one could recover from the pace of city life — a home experienced as a place of strength, softness and balance.

Modern neoclassicism proved the ideal language for this vision. It brings elegance and timelessness, while contemporary accents, tactile surfaces and subtle tonal variation keep the spaces feeling current and personal. This is an interior built not around decorative spectacle, but around atmosphere — light, texture and composure.

A Two-Year Process of Refinement

Although the concept itself was approved relatively quickly, the project took nearly two years to complete. Work was interrupted during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, causing some stages to pause temporarily. Yet that interruption also allowed the team to revisit details and refine certain solutions with greater care.

Throughout the process, the clients remained closely involved, and their routines, preferences and lifestyle played a central role in shaping the finished house. That sense of collaboration is evident in the result: an interior that feels deeply aligned with how the family actually lives.

Solving the Realities of an Older Structure

One of the biggest challenges lay in the condition of the original building. Years of slight structural settlement had left walls and slabs uneven, while floors and ceilings needed significant correction. These issues became especially apparent during the installation of gypsum board ceilings, where achieving clean geometry required a series of carefully calibrated technical solutions.

In some rooms, recessed soffits were used to absorb differences in depth. In others, spotlights helped resolve inconsistencies while preserving the clarity of the architecture. Each adjustment was handled individually so that the visual calm of the home remained intact.

Soft Sculptural Living

The living room and dining area were conceived as a single flowing composition, beginning in the entrance hall and unfolding naturally into the entertaining spaces beyond. In the living room, the standout piece is the Pierre Paulin F598 Groovy Chair, whose sculptural softness adds character to the otherwise restrained interior. An Italamp Antea floor lamp contributes to the atmosphere, while Fresq wallpaper and a painting by Uttermost enrich the walls.

The dining room continues that gentle, airy mood, but with a subtle marine undercurrent. Decorative details reference waves, corals and lilies in an associative rather than literal way. Its central feature is a bas-relief panel of lilies created on site by local artists from the designer’s sketches, producing a nuanced play of light and shadow.

Furniture by Caracole anchors the room, including the dining table and chairs, while Newport pendants hang above. Particularly notable are the Caracole armchairs featuring a Japanese bonsai tree motif — a symbolic image of the tree of life that also introduces a warm terracotta note to the palette. A silver sideboard with mother-of-pearl inlay and a marble top brings another layer of detail and refinement.

Natural silk wallpaper with a pearlescent finish, together with silk curtains, marble, timber and metal, gives the room its layered richness. A vase brought from Baku by the designer offers a final personal gesture, echoing Elitis cushions and adding a delicate Eastern accent.

A More Intimate TV Lounge

Also on the ground floor is a more private TV lounge, where a rounded Eichholtz sofa is paired with a Caracole dining set and Eichholtz chairs. The focal point here is a partition in natural Bianco Dolomite marble with a bookmatched pattern. More than a decorative gesture, it functions as a spatial divider between the room’s formal and intimate zones, while also housing the television and framing a bio-fireplace finished in natural brass below. A mirrored insert adds depth and reflectivity, while Newport lighting completes the atmosphere.

A Kitchen Built Around Stone

In the kitchen, the design began with the material itself. Together with the clients, the designer visited marble workshops in person, selecting stone slabs by eye rather than from catalogues, carefully considering the veining, pattern and tonal depth of each piece.

Once the right marble was found, the rest of the room followed. The stone appears on the splashbacks, island and worktops, while the kitchen’s contrasting tones feel like a natural continuation of its character rather than a separate design move. The cabinetry was produced to custom sketches, with pendant lights by Odeon Light suspended above the island.

Hidden swing doors integrated into the cabinetry conceal a utility zone with appliances and storage, keeping the practical layer of the kitchen discreetly out of view.

Bespoke Details in the Private Rooms

In the bathroom, the sink was custom-designed to become part of the room’s overall architectural composition. Mirrors were also individually made, while the floor combines two standard tile types cut and assembled on site in a bespoke pattern aligned precisely to the room’s geometry. An Odeon Light chandelier adds a soft decorative touch above.

Upstairs, the master bedroom is arranged as a serene retreat. The walk-in wardrobe and bathroom are concealed within the suite so that they remain visually hidden from the sleeping area, allowing the room to feel calm and cohesive. At its centre stands a Caracole bed, with a matching dresser opposite.

The girls’ bedroom is one of the most personal spaces in the house. Its palette began with an Italian fabric by Alessandro Bini used above the headboard, and that tone is repeated across the dresser, skirtings, door frames and even the furniture handles. All the furniture here was custom-made by local carpenters, enabling it to be tailored precisely to the children’s needs. The result is light, warm and full of character.

What makes this Astana project so compelling is the way it resists choosing between beauty and practicality. It understands that for a large family, true luxury lies not just in fine materials or elegant furniture, but in a home that supports everyday life with intelligence and ease.

By rebuilding the cottage so extensively, the design has preserved the spirit of the original house while giving it a new sense of purpose. The result is sophisticated without feeling formal, family-focused without sacrificing refinement, and calm in a way that feels deeply restorative.

Credits

Designer - Gulmamyr Nurzhan

Photographer - Natalia Gorbunova

PR agency IFB, @ifb.agency