Before and after: how a designer transformed a “destroyed” room in a communal apartment from 1836.

Tiny studio with everything you need.

This tiny studio is located in the House of the Directorate of Imperial Theaters on the Fontanka embankment in St. Petersburg, which was built in 1836. The customer grew up in this room, and now his daughter studies at school nearby and there is a need to have a small corner to pass the time between studying and playing sports.

Before the renovation, the room already had a second tier, but the staircase was located right at the entrance and the ceiling structure cut the window in half, blocking natural light. Designer Polina Andreeva made the most of the available space: she re-extended the second floor, increasing the studio area from 10.5 m² to 14 m². I also equipped a small kitchen, designed a workspace and storage systems.

According to the documents, the room is a non-residential premises, plus there is a kitchen behind the wall, so it was not difficult to install the necessary communications for installing a bathroom. The staircase leading to the second floor is a closet in which storage is hidden: all facades open, inside there are rods, shelves, drawers. “We sacrificed the convenience of the staircase, but achieved all the customer’s goals,” says the designer.

There was no kitchen before. During the renovation, a small but functional set was installed, which included a hob, a full-size sink, a microwave oven (built into the upper cabinet), and a refrigerator located under the work table. All furniture is made to order: in such a limited space it was important to use every millimeter to the maximum.

All walls are painted with Derufa paint in a light shade with a slight blue undertone. The kitchen itself is enamel with a light green-blue tint, echoing the tiles on the backsplash. The Roman blind is made to order; its green, blue and pink shades echo the decorative vases and textiles in the bedroom area.

The customer’s special request was a large number of light sources. The designer provided many lighting scenarios: the highlight was a chandelier, which can be seen from the entrance and even from the street. The bronze parts of the chandelier were supported by the handles and base of the kitchen.