A 388-Square-Foot Home Was a Gray Box “with No Signs of Life” (but Look at It Now!)

“When I saw the size of the apartment and the client’s wish list, I realized that it was an interesting challenge and an opportunity to express myself to the fullest,” wrote Fariz, explaining that the homeowner’s passions — like being a fan of pop music and iconic design — played a part in shaping the look of the home.

Fariz explains that the layout proved to be a big challenge; there were originally no walls and only two windows. So the biggest things to tackle were creating a separate area for the bedroom as well as adding storage, all while making sure to keep the apartment feeling airy and contemporary. A challenge in just 388 square feet.

“In this project, I used several solutions that are not quite typical for our region,” Fariz explains. “The first and main one is that I abandoned the traditional wooden floor in favor of a concrete one. In Kazakhstan, such a solution is not very popular for private apartments and houses, but in this project I wanted freshness and lightness, and this is the floor that gave it to us.”

“In addition, despite my love for curtains on the windows, in this project I decided to leave the walls and windows clean and light, giving preference to aluminum perforated blinds, which add severity and clarity of lines,” Fariz continues.

It’s safe to say the homeowner is quite pleased with the finished product. “It’s a completely different apartment, very bright and cozy,” they describe. “It was [a] transformation from darkness to light, with warm lights, a touch of color here and there, and overall comfort. The apartment gives me a feeling of belonging, my escape-from-outside-noise therapy of sorts. I can spend days without going outside, since this place is so well done in terms of functionality and overall livability. And everyone who [is] at my place, [the] first thing they say is that it’s so cozy.”

• Simon Legald Bit Stool — Normann Copenhagen

• Jaime Hayon Rug — Nanimarquina
• Sofa — Local Production
• Floor Lamp — Am.Pm.
• Table Lamp — PH 31⁄2
• Table (Green) — Louis Poulsen
• MANHATTAN SC52 Table Lamp — &Tradition
• Manikhin Candlestick (Purple) — Normann Copenhagen
• Coffee Table — La Redoute
• Yellow Pouf — Vintage
• Ekstrem Chair — Varier
• Blue Table — &Tradition
• Hourglass — Hay

• Ant Chair — Fritz Hansen
• Rey Chair — Hay
• Verner Panton Hive Pendant Lamp — Verpan
• Table — Made to Order RocketPlastic
• Jaime Hayon Ikebana Vase — Fritz Hansen
• Glasses — Muuto
• Jaime Hayon Rug — Nanimarquina

• Verner Panton Flowerpot — &Tradition
• Anna Castelli Сomponibili — Kartell
• Pantop Portable Lamp — Verpan
• Simon Legald Bit Stool — Normann Copenhagen

• Tub Jug and Yellow Lamp — Muuto
• Textile — Zara Home, HM Home, La Redoute and Local Production
• Spring Flowers Drawing — Yuliya Nemchenko

Thanks, Fariz and the homeowner!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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