A “Mix of Modern and Historical” in Moscow

published Jun 28, 2016
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Name: Maria
Location: Moscow, Russia

Located in the old district of Arbat in Moscow, Russia, our three bed city center penthouse has lots of charm with its mix of modern and historical. Black marble retro fireplace, a mix of updated granite and original hardwood flooring, tall ceilings with crown molding and bright rooms. It’s a modest 128 square meters (1,378 square feet) but its layout makes our space feel bigger.

Originally from the United States, we moved to Moscow as expats. When searching for a place to live, we had two goals: be in the city center, but more importantly, walking distance to our sons’ school. Originally this apartment didn’t show up in our search results due to its size. However, in a desperate attempt to find a place to live, we loosened our requirements and this apartment showed up on our list. It was love at first sight!

When we moved to Moscow we came with very few furnishings. Just our boys’ beds and dressers, our bed and family photos. I always dreamed of challenging my decorating sense by furnishing a home primarily with IKEA, but uniquely combining other pieces so that it doesn’t look like an IKEA showroom. Since we are only in our apartment for two years, I figured this was the perfect chance! I’m very proud of the results and smile every time someone asks me where I purchased a piece of furniture and I tell them, “IKEA.”

The penthouse itself inspired the color scheme and decor. I decided to go a bit more modern and monochromatic than I usually do. The entryway and kitchen’s geometric grey and black tiles are such a unique feature of the apartment and I wanted to make sure they blended with the other rooms.

The thing I love most about our apartment is our living room. It’s grand and bright and the center of our home.

Thanks, Maria!

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