Design and planning Oron Milstein/Elad Gonen
Where:
Residential tower in Tel Aviv
The area of the apartment:
about 95 square meters
For:
a couple + their 2 small children
Planning and design:
Oron Milstein
Photo:
Elad Gonen
Welcome to the new apartment of a couple and their two small children, whose design is entrusted to the interior designer Oron Milstein.
The one who accompanied the process is the father of the family.
He designed a surprise apartment for them that fits into their lifestyles and combines the needs and hobbies of each and every one of them in a sophisticated and harmonious way in the different spaces.
"The apartment is a 4-room apartment, and that's how it was originally, but in the new design it changed completely; the bedrooms remained more or less in place, but the interior design is completely different, and the functions in the public space changed their location - it underwent a real transformation," recalls Milstein.
Design and planning Oron Milstein/Elad Gonen
"The father of the family, an open-minded person. He was very flowing with the ideas and was not afraid to experiment with special images and bold patterns. It was important to him that we create a well-designed, beautiful and up-to-date house that would suit first and foremost a family with two small children. Indeed, maintenance and operation are an essential part of the design concept.
" The family rarely watches television and in their free time the family members prefer to read books.
Their lifestyle allowed me to design a public space in a slightly different format than usual: while in a typical Israeli apartment the television usually hides the showcase and the view, in this apartment the television screen is hidden in the kitchen island and is revealed only when necessary.
This way, the balcony and the urban landscape that we will discover from the west get much more expression."
Design and planning Oron Milstein/Elad Gonen
Upon opening the front door, we will discover the spacious public space where the designer chose to use terrazzo tiles in shades of black and gray.
The kitchen is an important and central axis (especially since this is a family that likes to bake, cook and entertain) and from there the transition from the public space to the room wing is also made.
Milstein chose to cover the fronts of the space with graphite gray nano surfaces, the front leading from the kitchen to the rooms is separate and used for general storage.
The surfaces are covered with Corian, as well as the front of the sink niche for which the designer chose a grooved Corian surface.
The electrical products are integral and leave the active space clean and aesthetic, one that continues the design line of the balcony and the living room.
The bright door, which appears to be an integral part of the corridor wall, leads to the general bathroom which is also used as a guest toilet.
The picture that was hung next to it was created by the digital artist Rivka Savinir and has a double role: in terms of color, it breaks the monochromatic mass, and in terms of practicality, it covers the electrical and communication cabinet.
When you approach it, you notice how sophisticated it is and is made up of an abundance of elements and details, some of which are borrowed from the worlds of design, such as the figure's eyes, which are made of lamps.
Design and planning Oron Milstein/Elad Gonen
On the other side of the entrance door to the apartment is the living room where Milstein gave expression to some of the 600 reading and reference books that the couple had accumulated over the years: "Books are one of the most important elements in the planning of this apartment and they were taken into account from the beginning of the process. We integrated them in different parts of the apartment and the ambition was not Just shove them in the closet," explains Milstein.
"In the living room, they are showcased in a Rhythm model bookcase by the MDF Italy brand, where the rhythm of the shelves changes and thus an interesting composition is created. Along with the books, we combined accessories such as the figures of international and other fashion icons. What adds content to the apartment, and especially in the living room, are the books that make the fabric dynamic, Cultured and full of life.
"The apartment is dramatic, dark and masculine and in order to bring it to life and create interest we combined colorful elements such as the pink Babel sofa and the books," adds the designer. "We wanted to create a non-standard living room and the sofa fits this rationale very well.
The rounded amorphous shape is unusual and the position in which it stands invites those who come in its direction and is optimal for watching the television which, as mentioned, is generally found on the island in the kitchen.
In addition, it also allows a full observation from the center of the space towards the landscape."
Design and planning Oron Milstein/Elad Gonen
The aluminum tables in the living room, on which dark glass is placed, are from the Gautier brand and the standing lamp, which is made of a transparent polymer unit and was originally intended for the balcony, is from the creator of the Kartell brand, as is the transparent chair.
Milstein chose to use wooden blinds in the public space, thus creating a dimension of drama without closing the view.
The balcony is relatively large, rectangular and long and is divided into two wings - one has a lounge seating area, which sits under a space two stories high and the other, where the dining area is located.
"The wall on this balcony climbs up to the ceiling of the neighbors' apartment from above and there was a thought about how we turn the gloomy stone into a living and inviting display. We chose to create a green wall that continues up to a height of 6 meters and emphasizes the height dimension," explains Milstein, "We wanted to create a humorous look, not a thin one Plain or gray flooring, that's why we chose black and white tiles with which I created a diagonal shape."
The sofa on the balcony was designed and manufactured especially for her by a sofa manufacturer, special fabrics that are adapted to the outdoor environment and still produce living room vibes for everything.
The other elements are also adapted to the outdoor environment but transmit a homely feeling, for example the dining area and the lighting fixture hung above it, both of which can easily be adapted to the interior space as well.
And from the public, to private:
The general bathroom is used by the children as well as guest toilets: "Since it is a space that connects the private and the public wing, I decided to continue with the terrazzo floor, which meets the standard required for wet spaces," explains Milstein.
"The walls are covered with large tiles (60/120 cm), with a more delicate terrazzo pattern, and along the entire length of the space I created a recessed lighting fixture that washes the space with a uniform and continuous beam of light.
The cabinet is made by special order and the front is made of grooved teak wood."
Design and planning Oron Milstein/Elad Gonen
"Originally, this space was used for two functions," adds the designer, "as a bathroom and as a laundry balcony. I connected them both into one space and integrated the washing machine and dryer inside a closet. Likewise, the bathroom, which previously was not lit and ventilated naturally at all, benefits from the light and air that penetrates through to the window on the service balcony".
The couple's bedroom master is an expression of more pleasant proportions that can be created in a given LAYOUT.
"I broke down the functions that each sleep master has - each one works separately and on its own, so the couple does not limit each other," explains Milstein.
"I created a rectangle on the left side of which is a very long multi-purpose storage cabinet that ends at the back of the bedroom. In front of it I designed a zero line door that leads to the bathroom which is defined as an independent space and later I designed the sink cabinet that is open to the hallway, with a faucet in the center that comes down from the ceiling."
Design and planning Oron Milstein/Elad Gonen
Later, in the part closer to the bedroom, the shower was designed that is open to the bedroom, where I installed a wooden shutter that can be opened and closed as needed.
Along this entire axis, I integrated a lighting fixture sunk into the ceiling that illuminates the bathing area and the bedroom," explains Milstein.
"We used special tiles and edges with a lot of presence in this space that usually dare to be used at best only in a small corner. Here, to create a feeling of openness and continuity, I used these tiles in each of the functions and that's how I got a sense of space. You need a client with character and courage to flow with such a decision and in this case the owner of the house definitely hits the definition. Another item with presence and character are the nightstands next to the bed that are made of clay in the shape of cut Roman columns." .
At least at this stage, it was important to the couple that their two small children would spend time in a common room: "They really like to sleep and spend time together, so we created a cool and sound intimate room for them and the other bedroom is used as a study," concludes Milstein.
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