< PreviousThis modern Moscow home has two playrooms: one for the children and one for their parents, who like to assemble Lego in the loft Words Saiqa Ajmal Photography Stephan Julliard PLAY HOUSE AD_033_100-107_Arena_Moscow_11275261.indd 10024/06/2020 10:39:56 PMAR E N A/ Mo sc o w 101 In the sitting room, a painting by Kirill Basalaev provides a focal point. Molteni & C sofas and armchairs and a Minotti coff ee table sit atop a graphic custom Riviere Rugs carpet. AD_033_100-107_Arena_Moscow_11275261.indd 10124/06/2020 10:40:05 PMHE RUSSIAN AR- CHITEC T ALEXAN- DER K OZLO V doesn’t just design masterful mod- ern buildings – he often curates whole lifestyles for his clients, dreaming up everything from the fa- cade and the fl oorplan to the furnishings and the fragrance of individual rooms. With such a broad remit, planning and precision are key. “You need to get the foundations and the shell of a building right but start thinking about the fi nal layers at the same time,” he says pragmatically, “We have smooth, even ceilings here without a height difference so it was possible to make doors the entire height of the walls.” ‘Here’ is a minimalist family home in the suburbs of Mos- cow, which Kozlov was commissioned to build on a plot of land in a semi-rural village. Creating a sense of connection with the landscape was a key part of the brief, and fl oor-to- ceiling glass doors and windows have been installed and win- dow treatments have been kept to an absolute minimum. “The house sits next to a pine forest and the owners want- ed to constantly see nature, so we decided to abandon cur- tains,” says Kozlov, who worked on this project with Anasta- sia Blagodarnaya from his studio, AK Interiors. “No fabric will be more beautiful than trees, grass, sky and sun.” In keeping with this emphasis on nature and transparency, the front hall has a dramatic glass and wood staircase, its con- temporary design grounded by the elemental materials. A marble centre table and foliage-fi lled vase adds to the effect. But despite the elegant entrance (and fi nger-print attracting balustrade) this is very much a family home with practicality and the needs of children at the heart of the design scheme. The location of the study is a case in point; initially plotted out on the ground fl oor, it was moved to make way for the children’s playroom, which connects to a larger sitting room – designated an adult’s only space. Across the hall, there is a formal dining room, an open-plan breakfasting kitchen and a staff kitchen, as the owners like to entertain. Kozlov decided to use the spacious second fl oor landing as a study and library nook, giving an otherwise empty ‘Cinder- ella’ space polish and purpose. “We made a beautiful library there and placed the desk in front of a window with a view of the forest so it’s quiet and calm,” he explains. The bespoke library shelving is interspersed with black slatted panels, which provide concealed storage (for home of- fi ce clutter) and a hidden doorway to the guest bedroom – a design sleight which maximises wall space and adds a playful touch. The landing also hosts a forged spiral staircase which T AD_033_100-107_Arena_Moscow_11275261.indd 10224/06/2020 10:40:16 PM73 Black Carl Hansen Wishbone chairs and paintings from the ArtBrut Moscow gallery add punch to the natural tones of the kitchen. OPPOSITE PAGE FROM TOP: A Plank daybed from Gubi has been dressed in Dedar fabric. The Atollo lamp is a vintage Seventies design and the photograph is by George Byrne; a wooden sculpture by Lars Zech sits on a marble table of Kozlov’s design in the entry hall. AR E N A/ Mo sc o w 103 AD_033_100-107_Arena_Moscow_11275261.indd 10324/06/2020 10:40:43 PMThe formal dining room has Minotti chairs and a bespoke Paulo Antunes table topped by a Bella Figura chandelier. The lamps are vintage. OPPOSITE PAGE: The offi ce is located on the fi rst-fl oor landing. Bespoke book shelving conceals a door to the guest bedroom. The Tomato chair by Eero Aarnio is vintage. An artwork by Ben Abounassif hangs above the PH Collection desk. AD_033_100-107_Arena_Moscow_11275261.indd 10424/06/2020 10:40:56 PMspins up to the attic, and a second games room; the family like to collect Lego models and often spend time making palaces from plastic bricks together. As well as using the space tucked under the eaves, Kozlov has integrated an impressive amount of concealed storage into the house, lining hallways with tall units and adding a wood-panelled dressing room to the mas- ter suite. Throughout the interior, a largely monochrome back-drop has been off-set with pops of saturated colour: dark emerald Molteni & C sofas; vintage armchairs covered in dusty pink Dedar fabric; a rich blue sculpture by the Argentine artist Ben Abounassif; and lots of vivid contemporary canvases, chosen to both complement and contrast with pieces of statement furniture. “I worked with large strokes of colour,” says Alexander. “For example, to emphasise the beauty of the green sofa, we added a big yellow picture by Kirill Basalaev, which I immedi- ately fell in love with. Her work is so lively and as the light shifts during the day it becomes more golden.” Those framed panoramas of the forest also change with time of day and the seasons and the mossy scent of the trees permeates the house, whether the windows and doors are thrown open or not. How? Kozlov has sprinkled woody- earthy room sprays and diffusers from Aesop around the place to bring the outdoors in. As ever, he thinks of the small- est details, making sure everything has a place in his projects, which manage to have a sense of place, too. akinteriors.ru AR E N A/ Mo sc o w 105 AD_033_100-107_Arena_Moscow_11275261.indd 10524/06/2020 10:41:08 PMAD_033_100-107_Arena_Moscow_11275261.indd 10624/06/2020 10:41:29 PM“ The mossy scent of the forest permeates the house whether the windows are thrown open or not ” AR E N A/ Mo sc o w 107 In the master suite, custom dark wood wardrobes in the dressing area are softened by vintage armchairs recovered in rose coloured velvet. OPPOSITE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: In the guest room, a bed upholstered in Lelièvre fabric is fl anked by Julian Chichester tables and lamps from Circa Lighting; vintage design pieces sit alongside contemporary art; Sahco fabric and neon lights add a fun touch to the children's beds. AD_033_100-107_Arena_Moscow_11275261.indd 10724/06/2020 10:41:45 PM108 AR E N A/ F lor enc e INNER BE AUTY An ‘ugly’ concrete villa in Florence has been given a makeover by Dimore Studio, ensuring the inside is as beautiful as its setting Words Ruben Modigliani Photography Andrea Ferrari AD_033_108-115_Arena_Florence Dimore_11280096.indd 10824/06/2020 10:48:35 PMIn a room fl ooded by Mediterranean light, the colours and patterns are unusually dense, in shades of sapphire, burgundy and emerald. OPPOSITE PAGE: A view of Florence over the pool. AD_033_108-115_Arena_Florence Dimore_11280096.indd 10924/06/2020 10:48:47 PMNext >