Timeless Elegance Meets Vintage Appeal in a Refurbished Bourgeoisie Apartment in Belarus by Studio Nordes.

Standard Chairs by Jean Prouve and Tom Dixon tableware.

Infinito Shelving by Franco Albini helps zone the living and dining areas.

We have a lot of feelings about today’s post. It’s one of those rare homes, which despite being recently renovated, maintains a sense of intimacy – as though it has been lived in for years and perfected slowly over time. Refurbished and decorated by Studio Nordes, this incredibly beautiful bourgeoisie apartment in Belarus expresses a sense of modernity, balanced with a timeless elegance and raw vintage appeal. The brief was to design a stylish and modern interior with an aesthetic that would not be obsolete a few years on – a challenge so expertly resolved by Studio Nordes through each element of the design.

Gio Ponti’s 1960 Occasional Table gives a modernist elegance to this reading area.

1950s Floor Lamp designed by Jo Hammerborg for Fog and Mørup.

During the renovation, several walls were removed to open the space and create what is now the core of the home – three connected functional areas including living, dining and kitchen. Heritage features were restored to their former glory, including the marble fireplace, mouldings, rosettes and stucco ornamentation, giving a palatial and truly elegant framework for this 300sqm family home. A mix of styles and periods were used in the decoration, to prevent the interior from looking themed fully vintage, fully modernist or fully retro. Iconic modernist pieces from Gio Ponti, Charles Eames and Jean Prouvé are mixed with contemporary designs from Tom Dixon and Michael Anastassiades. In our opinion, Studio Nordes absolutely nailed the selections – seeing the strict geometry of Anastassiades’ String Lights paired with that furrowed mustard sofa and aged walnut sideboard is pure visual joy.

The modern Leicht kitchen comes as a surprise, but truly elevates the overall design to the present with its contemporary minimalist details. How envious are you of those perfectly organised drawers? While the overall style is minimal and current, the use of simple crafted materials like felt and dowel rods prevent it from looking too high-tech. Patterned cement tiles and exposed cooking utensils balance out the slickness also, and perfectly bridge the kitchen with the rest of the home. This dualism, the artful interplay between old and new, makes this special home indifferent to trends. In fact, we think it will only grow in value over time.

P.S. When you’re ready to pick your jaw off the floor and stop drooling, we would like to ask you this question – do you think this place is real, or is it a rendering? Team Yellowtrace is somewhat divided, although majority of us votes in favour of a render, which makes us feel slightly cheated. The jury is still out, so we would love to hear your thoughts.

[Images courtesy of Studio Nordes. Photography by Alexander Dzivnel.]