My First Interior, Nine Years On.

The "Vechnye Tsennosti" (Timeless Values) project: my first interior

He was my first. My first love, the one it all started with. The one my story as an interior designer began with.

Would you like to see what he looks like after all these years? This is a rare chance to meet an interior again, to see what it has been through, how it has lived, whether it has changed. Because it has not been living alone, it has had a full, busy life, and someone even wanted to part with it and could not. Most importantly, it has turned 9 years old. You can see how it looked at the very beginning in the "Vechnye Tsennosti" (Timeless Values) project.

What happens to an interior after almost a decade when a big family with four children lives in it? At the time of the renovation there was only one small child, and since then the home has become home to three more little princesses and a cat.

A home where life actually happens leaves its marks. And that is wonderful. A home lives, grows up, ages, and it does not get worse for it, it gains warmth and a soul.

Yes, time leaves its traces, that is unavoidable, but that is exactly what life is, when every little scratch on the floor means something and brings back a memory. Natural materials age with dignity and do not become cheaper, age only makes them better.

This solid rustic oiled board floor has been through everything, and it runs through the kitchen too (between us, a bottle of caustic drain cleaner was spilled on it once, and it is still in beautiful condition). The glaze on the tiles has developed the finest web of crazing, and some people go out of their way to fake exactly that. The inherited table was restored and freshened up before the family moved in, and if it ever needs it, it will survive several more restorations and live for many years, because it is wood. Imagine: the owner's grandmother and grandfather drank tea at this table, now her children do, and I am sure her grandchildren will too.

Even the paper wallpaper is alive and well, and it has only been trimmed with linen lace for protection.

I deliberately did not prepare this interior for the shoot. I wanted to show the ordinary life of a beautiful home whose heart and soul is the family, a home full of children, comfort and warmth. That slight, casual ruffled quality does not spoil it, it gives it naturalness and charm.

An apartment for a family with four children (a boy and three girls; at the time of the build there was one child). The owner wanted a solid base that would not go out of fashion, and she wanted to keep the furniture she already had. Contemporary classic and Scandinavian style were the priority. To see how the project looked originally, visit the "Vechnye Tsennosti" gallery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDIWzjOFxc8

There was also a funny story about the night before the shoot.

In this project

Kitchen

• kitchen by Snaidero
• dining area, antique (inherited)
• appliances by Miele
• chandelier by Lambert
• decor by Bloomingville, Nordal, Yves Delorme

Living room

• sofa, armchair, pouffe by Desiree
• chandelier by Gervasoni
• side table by Lambert
• home cinema by B&W
• decor by Bloomingville, Nordal

Bedroom

• chandelier by Gervasoni
• wallpaper by Zoffany
• decor by Bloomingville, Nordal, Yves Delorme

Children's rooms

• chandelier by Gervasoni
• wall lights by Skol
• wallpaper by Harlequin
• furniture by IKEA
• toys by Maileg

Bathrooms

• ceramic tiles by HE Smith, Rosbri

• sanitaryware by Jorger

• furniture by Santoni

• chandelier and wall lights by Schonbek

• Floor: solid antique oak board by Boen

• Doors: Garofoli

P. S. My heartfelt thanks to the owners, who were brave and generous enough to agree to the shoot. And huge thanks to the "Tyumenskoye Vremya" team for the easy conversation, the tactful intrusion and the professional way they told the story.

Have a look at my second home too, an interior designer's own apartment.

Frequently asked questions

How old is this interior?

It is my first interior project, and at the time of the shoot it had turned 9 years old. A big family with four children has lived there the whole time.

How does an interior made from natural materials age?

Natural materials age with dignity and do not become cheaper, age only improves them. Solid board, tile and wood gain character over the years, and the traces of daily life add warmth and soul to a home.

What did the client ask for on this project?

The owner wanted a solid base that would not go out of fashion, and she wanted to keep the furniture she already had. Contemporary classic and Scandinavian style were the priority.