Interior design project and redevelopment from a three-room & kitchen to a three-bedroom 89 m² apartment with turnkey renovation.
Location: Primorsky Quarter residential complex, Saint Petersburg.
Layout: for a young family with two children.

The clients discovered the designer layout of their future apartment on the developer’s website and contacted us as the authors of that concept.
The task was to transform a three-room apartment in a tower building into a full-fledged “Euro-4” layout with a spacious kitchen–dining–living area, a master bedroom, and two separate children’s rooms.

Original layout: what was wrong

• The apartment was divided into two symmetrical parts connected by a narrow 90 cm passage.
• An excessive dark corridor of 20 m² (22% of the total area) with a nine-meter route from the children’s room to the bathroom.
• No family center: a small kitchen of 11.6 m² and a 19.1 m² living room with an awkward configuration and a long route between them.
• A 13.1 m² bedroom with no space for a wardrobe.
• Only one children’s room of 15.7 m², too small for two children.
• An undersized walk-in closet of 3.1 m².
• Main bathroom of just 3.5 m²; guest bathroom of 3.2 m² — without even a toilet.

Question

Where could an additional room for a child be found within the existing layout while complying with regulations?

Planning solution

The key idea was to use the oversized hall and relocate the kitchen into the corridor zone, turning it into a kitchen niche (which is permitted by regulations). This allowed part of the former kitchen to be freed up and an additional full-sized room to be created.

As a result, we brought an additional 25% of usable area into circulation (worth approximately 4 million RUB at 2021 prices) and obtained a redevelopment approved by the Interdepartmental Commission of the Primorsky District.

After redevelopment

• In place of the former living room, part of the kitchen, and part of the hall, a shared kitchen–dining–living space of 23.1 m² was created, with a comfortable center and clear zoning.
• Autonomous master bedroom of 20.2 m² with a walk-in closet, a workspace by the window, space for a baby, and direct access to the bathroom.
• Children’s room of 10.8 m² with storage systems and built-in furniture.
• New children’s room of 9.8 m² with a window and access to the balcony, made possible by relocating the kitchen.
• The hall reduced to an optimal 8.6 m² and transformed into a bright extension of the living area.
• On the site of the former guest bathroom — a 4 m² walk-in closet with laundry area.
• Main bathroom expanded to 4.9 m².
• Guest/children’s bathroom of 2.9 m² with a shower.
• Loggia of 10 m² converted into a sports and workout area.

Video tour after turnkey renovation

We invite you to watch a video tour of the apartment after the completion of the turnkey renovation — the best way to assess the functionality and aesthetics of the new space. See the result for yourself!

Interior style

Contemporary minimalism with Scandinavian design elements.

• Palette: white, soft shades of gray and beige, deep wood tones, pastel greens and pinks.
• Lighting: multi-level — track systems, pendant lights, and concealed LED lighting for soft, diffused illumination.
• Furniture: clean-lined forms, matte finishes; the kitchen is designed as a niche and fully integrated into the interior.

Kitchen–dining–living area and hall

The corner kitchen niche is designed in two tiers. The lower cabinets and countertop are light-colored and visually merge with the walls. The kitchen is visually divided into two parts: a light zone with the work surface and a block with built-in appliances (refrigerator). These tall kitchen columns are clad in wood. The kitchen flows smoothly into the dining area, creating a logical sequence: cooking → serving → dining.
A minimalist white table adjoins a low cabinet, separating the kitchen from the living area. Three stylish white pendants above the table provide soft, localized lighting.
The living / TV area is designed in the same style as the kitchen: a wooden panel with integrated lighting and white suspended storage modules.
A round woven rug and an organically shaped coffee table in front of the sofa reinforce the Scandinavian aesthetic.

Entrance hall (8.6 m²)

One of the walls in the hall is finished with a perforated wooden panel (pegboard), serving both as décor and as open storage for clothing. A floor-to-ceiling mirror creates the effect of additional space in the entry area.

Master bedroom with walk-in closet

The 20.2 m² master bedroom is an “island of calm” located in an autonomous wing of the apartment, with its own access to the bathroom and a private walk-in closet.

Unlike the living area, a deep dusty-rose wall color is used here, creating a soft, intimate atmosphere. The contrast comes from mint-green wardrobe fronts and a turquoise armchair by the vanity.
The central element of the room is a large bed with a soft headboard spanning the entire wall width. Concealed LED lighting is installed above the headboard. Two bedside tables flank the bed.
A white oval baby crib is placed close to the parents’ bed, ensuring convenience during the night.
A suspended vanity table with a mirror is positioned by the window. A group of three spherical pendant lights above the vanity adds elegance to the interior.
The TV is integrated into a black niche against a backdrop of wooden slats, making the technology visually unobtrusive when turned off.
A floor-to-ceiling mirror with contour lighting on the opposite wall is essential for a large wardrobe — a true beauty spot with ideal conditions for fitting. The mirror also visually expands the space.

Walk-in closet

A green wall conceals the bathroom door and the sliding doors leading to the spacious walk-in closet. Inside, integrated shelf lighting, pull-out drawers for accessories, and hanging rails for clothing of different lengths are provided.

Lighting scenarios

General: Minimalist double surface-mounted spotlights on the ceiling.
Evening ambiance: Perimeter ceiling lighting and illumination above the headboard; spherical pendants above the vanity.
Functional: Adjustable black wall lights with flexible arms by the headboard for reading; contour lighting along the full-height mirror.
Decorative: A string of fairy lights above the baby crib.

Younger child’s room

The 10.8 m² room is designed in a “dreamy” style — the softest space in the apartment. The interior is very light and airy thanks to a pastel color palette and natural materials. It is an ideal personal space that provides comfort, order (thanks to a large wardrobe), and a unique atmosphere. The design is intended for a preschool or early school-age child. It is universal and supports both productive learning and quality rest.
The room layout is flexible and has long-term potential, remaining relevant as the child grows older.

Color palette
A combination of delicate powder pink, muted blue, and white. Furniture finishes and textiles incorporate a subdued mint-green shade that calms and refreshes the space.
Combined wall finishes: one wall is painted pink with a starry sky and decorative cloud-shaped lights; another features a delicate gradient mountain motif in blue tones, adding depth.
Light wood is used for flooring and furniture elements.

Planning and furnishing
Sleeping and relaxation zone: A white sofa bed with pull-out storage drawers. Decorative star-shaped pillows, soft toys, and a cozy geometric-patterned throw. Two cloud-shaped wall lights above the bed serve as night lights with soft contour illumination.
Play and study area: The center of the room is kept open with a soft play rug. A workspace with a light modern desk and book shelves is positioned by the window (or along the wall). A long ergonomic white desktop is mounted on a cabinet and wall. A stylish mustard-colored chair serves as a bright accent. Nearby is a large arched chalkboard for drawing with chalk.
Storage systems: As in the older child’s room, a full-wall built-in wardrobe is used. White matte handle-less fronts visually dissolve the large volume into the space.

Integration with the loggia
Access to the loggia significantly changes the perception of the room. A large window and glass door fill the room with soft daylight throughout the day. The loggia can become an additional play area or a cozy reading nook.

Lighting
A large statement chandelier resembling a flower or cloud softly diffuses light. Additional recessed spotlights are installed around the ceiling perimeter.

Older child’s room

The room for the older child has a compact area of 9.6 m². It is an example of a “smart” room where every centimeter works for the user. The small size is compensated by access to the loggia and impeccable order ensured by a highly thought-out layout and built-in furniture.
Workspace: The desk is positioned along the wall adjacent to the window, providing proper natural lighting for work.
Storage systems: A built-in wardrobe occupies the entire wall from floor to ceiling, blending into the architecture of the room. The fronts are finished in the wall color, without protruding handles, making the structure almost invisible. The room requires no additional furniture and remains free from visual clutter.
The floor-to-ceiling glazed door to the loggia visually extends the room, adding depth and natural light.
The loggia can serve as a relaxation space or an area for active hobbies and play, relieving the main living area of the room.

Palette
Unlike the master bedroom, calm shades dominate here — gray, white, and light wood. Graphic contrast is added by black elements (lighting fixtures, hardware, chair frame) and possibly a single accent wall behind the bed.

Lighting
Task lighting: A desk lamp or directed spotlight in the work area.
Evening lighting: LED illumination in the curtain niche or above the bed creates the right atmosphere for rest and play.

Décor
The interior is intentionally kept neutral so the child can personalize it with photos, posters, model collections, and other details.

Main bathroom

Area: 4.9 m². The color palette combines white (sanitary ware, walls, furniture) with a soft sandy-gray background, enriched by stone and wood textures that make the interior warm and tactile. Walls and floors are clad in large-format porcelain tiles in a warm beige stone texture. Minimal grout lines create the effect of a single monolithic surface.

Sanitary ware and furniture
A white wall-mounted vanity appears to float above the floor. A countertop vessel sink with soft rectangular lines is installed on top.
The bathtub features a transparent screen and is built into a surround clad, together with the floor and adjacent walls, in wood-look porcelain tiles. Above the bathtub is a white shelf for toiletries.
Wall-hung toilet with concealed cistern, hygienic shower.
Two round mirrors with integrated lighting act as decorative focal points.
Niche shelves for bathroom accessories.

Lighting
General: Recessed ceiling spotlights.
Ambient: Mirror backlighting and an LED strip in the ceiling niche (floating ceiling). This allows bathing in a soft, relaxing light.

Guest bathroom

Despite its compact size of 2.9 m², the guest bathroom is fully functional: a shower in a separate triangular niche behind a transparent partition, a wall-hung toilet, a compact wall-mounted sink with vanity, and small shelves. In terms of color palette and design solutions, it fully mirrors the main bathroom: a combination of white (sanitary ware, walls, furniture) and a soft sandy-gray background (porcelain tiles in beige wood and gray stone tones). The design accent is a round mirror with backlighting.

Loggia

The 10 m² loggia has an elongated shape and panoramic glazing, with access from both children’s rooms. The interior is designed in a contemporary style.

Zoning
The loggia includes a workspace and a relaxation corner.
Workspace: A long light-wood countertop installed in place of the window sill. An ideal spot for working on a laptop, oriented toward the view.
Lounge area: At the end of the loggia, a cozy relaxation zone is arranged with a soft podium, plenty of cushions, and a throw.
Transit zone: Open space allows comfortable movement between the two room exits.

Palette, finishes, lighting
The design is based on a combination of natural textures and calm tones.
Walls: Light gray (concrete-like) decorative plaster creates a modern look. Dark-toned vertical wooden slats (baffles) are used in the lounge area.
Floor: Light wood laid in a deck pattern visually expands the space.
Lighting: Minimalist wall sconces providing upward and downward light, along with recessed ceiling spotlights.
Windows: Large panoramic glazing complemented by white roller blinds to protect from direct sunlight.

Result

We transformed an awkwardly planned three-room apartment into a spacious, bright, and functional three bedroom home with two children’s rooms, a master bedroom, a sports area, and a true family center.

Authors:

Fyodor Mironov Daniyar Gainullin

2021