This project by interior designer Galina Shashkova was created for a professional athlete who values health, comfort, and aesthetics. The 85 m² apartment, located in Neva Towers, a modern residential complex in Moscow City, boasts panoramic views of the skyline. The client's main request was to create a maximally open living space, incorporate natural materials throughout, and integrate an advanced smart home system.
Layout
"The optimal solution for the apartment was an open and ergonomic layout, where the entryway seamlessly transitions into the living, dining, and kitchen areas, while the bedroom merges with the bathroom," explains the designer. The kitchen and entryway are visually separated by a glass partition, which adds lightness, while an impressive marble-clad wall defines the boundary between the living room and the bedroom. In addition to the main bathroom, the apartment features a guest restroom equipped with a spacious shower cabin offering massage functions and a tropical rain shower feature.
Interior mood
The interior concept is based on a blend of comfort, functionality, and coziness, focusing on a stylish yet timeless design. The space exudes warmth and harmony through the use of natural materials like wood, leather, marble, and solid parquet flooring. The color palette, composed of warm, natural tones, enhances the authentic textures, creating an inviting and tranquil atmosphere. This thoughtful selection highlights the interplay of elegance and comfort, ensuring the design feels both contemporary and enduring.
Finishing materials and technology
For the finishes, the designer selected premium materials with rich textures to elevate the interior's visual appeal. Various types of natural stone add depth and character to the space. For instance, the living room features a Tobacco Brown marble wall with a custom-designed fireplace, crafted based on Galina's original sketches.
In the kitchen, Sahara Noir marble is paired with textured granite, while the floors are laid with oak parquet in a distinctive petal pattern tinted gray. The bedroom and guest restroom feature wall panels and custom furniture made from natural American walnut veneer. Intricate combinations of natural stone in the kitchen and bathroom, along with onyx details in the guest restroom, create an impactful visual statement.
Merging the bedroom with the bathroom required careful engineering and meticulous material selection. The bathroom floor, like the rest of the apartment, is covered with parquet. "Stepping onto warm natural wood after a shower is a real pleasure, and over time, it has proven to be both practical and durable," notes the designer.
The apartment is equipped with the MimiSmart system, which ensures seamless control of engineering systems, lighting, curtains, the fireplace, and the microclimate, while providing robust security features.
Furniture
All built-in furniture, including wardrobes, the kitchen, and the bed, was custom-made by Poliform. Italian furniture crafted from natural veneer underscores the prestige of the interior, while a nubuck sofa by Baxter adds a sophisticated touch to the living area. Select custom-made pieces, such as the bathroom vanity and decorative panels, were produced by Walls Studio in St. Petersburg. Transparent glass wardrobe fronts between the bedroom and bathroom subtly divide the space, adding lightness and airiness.
Doors measuring 2.9 meters in height are framed with custom designs, enhancing the vertical proportions and visually expanding the ceiling height. As Galina notes, the project was completed within a short timeframe thanks to excellent collaboration with the client. After finalizing the concept, construction was finished in just eight months. The result is a functional, eco-friendly interior that balances relaxation and energy—an ideal space for an athlete's lifestyle.
Interior designer Galina Shashkova graduated from Moscow State University and later studied at the Moscow Architectural Institute (MArchI). With a career spanning 20 years, she began her journey at an architectural bureau before founding her own studio. Her guiding principle is achieving the perfect balance of beauty and functionality, creating bespoke turnkey spaces tailored to each client’s needs.
