Inside a Moscow Flat Where Period Grandeur Meets Parisian Ease

BALCON's Anastasia Bondarenko transforms a once-communal flat into a relaxed family home, rich in character and history

In an early-20th-century apartment building in Moscow, a former communal flat has been transformed into a characterful family home by Anastasia Bondarenko, founder of award-winning interiors studio BALCON. Spanning 100 square metres, the apartment brings together the grandeur of its original architecture and the ease of contemporary Parisian style, with a design that prioritises personality over perfection.

‘Working on this project, I found myself in an unusual role: I was designing a space my own family would live in,’ says Bondarenko. ‘I wanted a home with character – nothing showy, no chasing the perfect picture. It had to reflect our family: lively, a little relaxed, yet aesthetically whole.’

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Original plasterwork, decorative cornicing and ceiling roses preserve the classical elegance of this early-20th-century Moscow home

When Bondarenko first encountered the flat, its layout still reflected its communal past. Three long, narrow rooms divided the interior, arranged for a very different way of living. Yet the apartment had plenty to work with: ceilings rising more than three metres and original plasterwork with a classical elegance that the designer was determined to preserve.

Reworking The Original Layout

The renovation involved a complete reconfiguration. All the internal partitions were removed, apart from those surrounding the main bathroom. In place of the three narrow rooms, the new layout accommodates a study, a kitchen-sitting room and a bedroom. An arched opening just off the entrance hall leads to a dressing room, introducing a sense of architectural continuity between the spaces.

An arched opening connects the entrance hall to a dressing room, forming part of the apartment's reconfigured layout

One of the most significant changes was moving the kitchen into what had previously been the corridor, positioning it alongside the sitting room. The intervention creates a more generous shared living area, while a balcony beyond offers views across Moscow's old rooftops and façades. Rather than treating the outlook as separate from the interior, the design allows it to become part of the room.

The relocated kitchen sits alongside the sitting room, creating a more open shared space with views towards Moscow's old rooftops

A Classical Shell With Contemporary Character

The apartment's original architectural details provide a distinctive backdrop. Cornicing and ceiling roses frame the ceilings, while decorative wall mouldings are finished in a soft, warm white. Underfoot, herringbone parquet reinforces the period character. Against this classical envelope, Bondarenko has introduced contemporary furniture and a carefully edited selection of finishes.

Herringbone parquet, decorative wall mouldings and contemporary furnishings bring together the apartment's old and new elements

‘Modern pieces within a classical envelope stop the interior from becoming a period reconstruction,’ she explains. The contrast is central to the apartment's appeal: rather than recreating an early-20th-century interior, the design allows its historic details to sit comfortably alongside the rhythms of modern family life.

Dark timber brings depth to the kitchen cabinetry, dining table and chest of drawers. Brass appears in the light fittings and handles, while black-and-white accents add a graphic quality through tweed-upholstered chairs, coffee tables and striped textiles. In the kitchen, dark timber cabinetry is paired with a porcelain worktop and splashback featuring pronounced marble veining. The same porcelain collection is used in the main bathroom, where brass taps create a subtle link between the two spaces.

Dark timber cabinetry, brass accents and boldly veined porcelain give the kitchen a distinctive, contemporary character

Lighting And A Restful Retreat

Lighting plays an important role in the atmosphere. There are no downlights anywhere in the apartment. Instead, the generous ceiling heights allow chandeliers to serve as the main source of illumination in every room, including the bathroom.

With no downlights throughout the apartment, chandeliers provide the principal source of illumination in every room

The bedroom takes a more intimate direction, departing from the lighter palette of the shared spaces in favour of deep chocolate tones. Natural-fibre wallcovering introduces texture, while a black-and-white striped headboard, dusty-blue rug and muted lilac textiles bring a gentle retro note. ‘A bedroom should remain a place of rest, somewhere work and household chores don’t follow you,’ says Bondarenko.

A deep chocolate palette, striped headboard and muted textiles give the bedroom a gentle retro mood and sense of calm

Throughout the apartment, the intention was never to achieve a pristine, carefully staged finish. ‘I was determined to avoid anything too pristine,’ she says. Instead, the completed home balances the history of its building with the character of the family who live there – a relaxed interpretation of Parisian apartment style, shaped by Moscow's architectural heritage.