In the house she planned and designed Hila Alter In Rishon LeZion, every detail was designed with the idea that it is part of a larger whole. Lines, materials, carpentry, lighting and textiles connect to a continuous language, which accompanies the house between its four levels and balances a modern and precise appearance with a warm and enveloping feeling. The house, which was built from the ground up on a plot of approximately 280 square meters and has a built area of approximately 320 square meters, was designed for a couple and their three teenage children. Alter accompanied the project for approximately two years, from the initial planning stages, through the formulation of the concept, the selection of finishing materials and the planning of the carpentry and lighting, to the dressing of the house and its delivery.

Ofri Paz | STANNEL

The program was built around the family’s needs and the division between shared and private spaces. The ground floor remained completely open and centered the kitchen, dining area, and living room. A private suite was designed for each of the three children, while the upper level was dedicated to the parents’ suite. Alongside the functional division, one of the main emphases was creating a continuous connection between the interior and exterior, through wide openings and viewpoints that bring the garden and vegetation into the house. “The central idea that guided me throughout the entire project was to create a house that was experienced as one piece,” says Alter. “A unified design language in which the architecture, carpentry, lighting, and materials work together in harmony.”

The master suite is located on the upper level of the house, with the aim of giving the couple complete privacy and creating a sense of intimate retreat. The space was designed with a calm color palette and a combination of wood, textiles, custom carpentry and soft lighting, alongside large windows and floor-to-ceiling curtains.

SICILY bed by Hollandia It is an integral part of the material composition of the room. The wide, upholstered headboard continues the layers of textiles around it, while the neutral hue blends into the soft color palette and, alongside the wooden parquet, adds an enveloping dimension to the space. “The bed was chosen for its connection to the entire textile composition in the room,” explains Alter. “The upholstered headboard is wide and impressive and connects to the feeling of warmth created by the textiles and parquet.”

This choice also demonstrates the balance that accompanies the entire house between minimalist lines and softer, more natural layers. “It was important to me to balance the minimalism with natural wood, rich textiles, soft curtains, rugs and architectural and mood lighting,” says Alter, “so that despite the precise lines, the house will feel warm, enveloping and inviting.”

On the ground floor, Alter chose to forgo dividing into rooms and create a continuous public space, where the kitchen, dining area and living room exist side by side and continue almost directly into the courtyard. Wide floor-to-ceiling windows open the house to the garden and pool, allowing the vegetation to become an almost permanent part of the view.

“Blurring the boundary between inside and outside was one of the principles that guided the design,” says Alter. “Through particularly large windows, wide openings and careful planning of the viewpoints, greenery becomes an integral part of the living experience. Each of the public spaces overlooks the garden, pool and rich vegetation, so that nature actually enters the house and gives each space a sense of calm, light and space.”

The connection to the outside does not remain only at the level of vision. The open continuity of the floor and the large openings create a feeling that the garden is a direct continuation of the hospitality areas. Alongside the relatively transparent envelope stand elements with a clear architectural presence, including the floating staircase, which was designed as a sculptural element and accompanies the space throughout its height.

One of the main requirements of the family was that the kitchen function as the heart of the house — a place equally suited to everyday life and entertaining. Accordingly, a spacious space was designed with generous work surfaces, many storage areas, and dedicated carpentry that integrates into the architectural envelope.

Carpentry is one of the key elements in the project. Almost every wall in the house was also examined through its functional potential, and the specially designed systems are not content with storage, but help define the spaces, hide systems, and maintain visual cleanliness. “One of the most significant elements in the project is the custom-made carpentry,” explains Alter. “It does not only serve as a storage solution, but is an integral part of the interior architecture of the house. It hides systems, defines spaces, creates visual order, and gives the house an elegant, clean, and precise appearance.”

The graphic language of the project is based on a system of horizontal and vertical lines that are repeated in the various materials and details. The wall coverings, the carpentry facades, the staircase cables and the high curtains emphasize the vertical axis, while the architectural lighting, the carpentry units and the fireplace reinforce the horizontal lines.

“A dialogue between horizontal and vertical lines is maintained throughout the house,” says Alter. “The vertical lines are expressed in the wall coverings, the carpentry, the stair cables and the curtains that flow from floor to ceiling, while the horizontal lines are emphasized by the architectural lighting, the carpentry units and the fireplace. The combination of them creates a sense of height, balance and harmony.”

The material palette is based on shades of white, cream, sand, light gray and black, alongside natural oak, fishbone parquet, glass, iron and textiles. The materials are repeated in different doses between the spaces and strengthen the continuity between them, without creating disconnected decorative focal points.

Private suites were designed for the three children, each with an en-suite bathroom. Each room incorporated custom-made joinery according to the needs of the user, alongside a large bed, carpets, curtains and lighting that combines functional light sources with mood lighting. Each room has its own character, but the material choices and clean lines maintain a clear connection to the rest of the house.

The basement floor was also designed as an integral part of the house and not as a separate service floor. Alongside the master bedroom, a spacious home office and additional functional spaces were located there, and here too the same principles of customized joinery, meticulous lighting and materials that continue the floors above were maintained.

“I chose to avoid unnecessary elements and make room for clean lines, precise proportions and timeless materials,” concludes Alter. “This way the eye can flow naturally from space to space, and the house remains precise, but also pleasant and comfortable to live in.”

Interior Design | Hila Alter
Photography | Elad Gonen

About the firm | Hila Alter

Hila Alter is an interior designer and owner of a boutique studio specializing in the planning and design of luxury homes, private homes and premium apartments. For over a decade, she has been guiding projects from the initial idea stage to turnkey delivery, with the belief that precise design begins with a deep understanding of the lifestyle, needs and habits of those who will live in the space. Her work combines architectural planning, interior design and project management, while ensuring aesthetics, functionality and personal and close support throughout all stages of the process.

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