Inside a Bright Apartment Filled With Vintage Design

At 140m², this Moscow apartment is generous in scale, but its story is rooted in something more personal than square metres. Designed by architect Nikita Bondar with interior designer Julia Grubman, the home brings together architectural precision, bespoke design and vintage furniture in an interior shaped by continuity, art and an appreciation for everyday beauty.

For Bondar, architecture is part of a family tradition. A third-generation architect, he grew up surrounded by the discipline and language of architecture, eventually making it both his profession and a way of understanding the world. Grubman's route into design was more intuitive. Her lifelong appreciation of art, combined with a sensitivity to detail and an instinct for recognising beauty, eventually led her to study at the Detali School of Design.

Their collaboration resulted in an interior that balances these two perspectives: the structure and precision of architectural practice with a more emotional, intuitive approach to colour, texture and objects.

Designed Around Light

The apartment's layout includes an entrance hall, an expansive living area with an island kitchen, a dining area for six, a library, two bedrooms with walk-in wardrobes, three bathrooms, a home office and a laundry room.

The arrangement is carefully organised along architectural axes, with the rooms oriented according to the cardinal directions. This allows morning light to reach the private bedroom wing, while the living spaces benefit from the warmer evening sun.

Enfilade openings connect the rooms, creating a sense of continuity as you move through the apartment. Light also plays an important role after dark, with three distinct lighting schemes: general architectural lighting, focused illumination for collectible and historic design pieces, and softer noir-inspired lighting intended to encourage quieter moments.

Bespoke From The Beginning

The design process began not with furniture, but with textiles. These established the palette of colours and textures that would eventually inform the rest of the interior.

From there, almost every major element was designed specifically for the apartment. Bespoke joinery, storage systems, upholstered furniture, tables, beds and the home office were developed around the overall concept, with references drawn from designers and architects admired by Bondar and Grubman.

Even the smaller details received the same attention. Table lamps, wall sconces and door handles were individually designed and manufactured for the project. The L'Ottocento kitchen is the only factory-produced element, although it was extensively customised.

A Living Room For Collecting

The living room is the apartment's largest space and one of its most layered. A custom-made bookcase in solid oak and Travertine Striato stone provides a substantial architectural backdrop, while Pierre Frey wallpaper, Dedar curtains and a Nobilis-upholstered custom sofa add softness.

Vintage pieces sit comfortably alongside contemporary commissions. French 1970s travertine coffee tables are paired with custom furniture, while a Pierre Paulin design appears elsewhere in the home. A Schimmel piano occupies a prominent position, accompanied by a 1960s French painting above it.

Lighting further emphasises the apartment's collection of objects. A Catellani & Smith chandelier, Reggiani floor lamp and lighting from Centrsvet and Aledo Pro help create different atmospheres throughout the room.

Vintage Finds Meet Modern Living

The kitchen and dining area continue this balance between old and new. L'Ottocento cabinetry is paired with Bianco Lasa marble, V-ZUG appliances and Gessi taps, creating a highly functional contemporary kitchen.

At the dining table, however, history takes centre stage. Custom-made Koto veneer furniture is accompanied by Italian chairs designed by Ico Parisi around 1954, introducing a distinctly mid-century note to the otherwise contemporary setting.

The home office follows the same principle, with bespoke joinery and a sofa accompanied by an armchair from the Netherlands dating to the 1980s. A Louis Christiaan Kalff desk lamp from the 1950s adds another layer of vintage character.

A Home That Looks To The Next Generation

Perhaps the most emotionally considered space is the bedroom belonging to the couple's daughter, Anna. Rather than treating the room as a conventional children's interior, the designers created a space with a sense of femininity, grace and quiet elegance. The wardrobe was custom made from Le Corbusier's drawings, while an upholstered armchair, ceramics and carefully selected finishes give the room a distinctive identity.

This idea of continuity runs through the entire apartment. Vintage furniture, historic design and contemporary commissions aren't treated as separate categories. Instead, they form a conversation between generations, allowing the past to remain present without making the interior feel nostalgic.

The result is a bright, highly detailed apartment that feels considered rather than overly designed. Its greatest luxury is not simply the quality of its materials or furniture, but the thought given to how every element belongs within the larger story.

Credits

Architect: Nikita Bondar, Instagram: @bondar_nikita

Interior designer: Julia Grubman, Instagram: @iulia_grubman

Photography: Mikhail Loskutov, Instagram: @loskutoff

Styling: Yes We May , Instagram: @yes_we_may

PR: @elena_grabar_agency