In south Tel Aviv, in the heart of an industrial area of carpentry, workshops and home design stores, the interior designer createdYael ShavitA 90-square-meter urban penthouse, with a spacious 47-square-meter balcony, that refuses to apologize for the “tough” view outside the window, and has instead turned it into the perfect setting for a life of freedom, hospitality, and peace. The apartment was purchased by a single man in his late 30s, who leads a demanding routine and was looking to slow down and relax at the end of the day.Ofri Paz | STANNEL“The tenant had been looking for a suitable apartment for him for a long time. His family laughs that he purchased a balcony with an apartment and not an apartment with a balcony,” says the designer, who received a contractor’s apartment in the final stages of construction and was required this time to plan the exterior before the interior: “The tenant’s desire to incorporate a jacuzzi into the balcony was a prerequisite for purchasing the apartment, so upon receiving the project, I also received the specific jacuzzi that he wanted to incorporate into the exterior design.” Indeed, the balcony was designed so that each function would receive its exact place: the 220×300-meter jacuzzi as a focal point, next to it a reclining/sitting area, a fully equipped outdoor kitchenette, and a dining table. A tall building overlooking the apartment required a creative solution to maintain privacy, so a “green wall” was designed consisting of custom-made concrete planters. “We incorporated tall vegetation that will thicken quickly and create a pleasant barrier, and will also create a tropical and intimate atmosphere, which enhances the feeling of freedom, especially against the backdrop of the urban landscape that the apartment overlooks.”
Inside, the challenge was geometric: a multi-angled central space and a contractor’s plan that could have created a living room with its back to the view and a sofa that was too small for entertaining. Yael turned the living room toward the main display window to draw the eye outward, and also planned additional viewing solutions, including from the kitchen island that was added as part of the project, for added storage, work surfaces, and a place for daily meals. She based the design language on what was already in the apartment: light gray flooring, dark aluminum, parquet in the bedroom, dark gray and black bathrooms, and wood trim outside. “I chose to stay with this color scheme and even emphasize it, in order to create a space that stands out and makes a statement, and at the same time is youthful in character through the use of textures, color, and art with a wink.”
In the public space, the designer created a sense of continuity that connects all the functions through the carpentry. She designed a long unit that starts at the entrance and continues throughout the house, concealing infrastructure and utility cabinets, creating precise storage for coats, bags, and everyday equipment, while also integrating doors at the zero line and maintaining a clean and quiet appearance. The unit is covered in oven-painted MDF, with grooves of varying widths that provide depth and three-dimensionality, and also incorporates a display cabinet with a gray glass front. On the two side walls in the living room, Yael incorporated works of art, framed by wall-mounted lighting fixtures: “The inverse playfulness of the power points created a designed and interesting element for the walls. Between each pair of fixtures, I placed a work of art by Itay Magen, which was adapted to the proportions of the space.”
The bedroom stands at the end of the hallway, wrapped in grooved woodwork. When the door to the room is open, a piece of wall protrudes, which is also exposed from the far end of the apartment, and was therefore also chosen for a colorful work of art. The room is narrow and long, and the designer wanted to create an enveloping feeling in it that separates it from the rest of the house. Therefore, the entire space, walls and ceiling, was painted a uniform gray. In this monochromatic space, where every line and every centimeter work for the sake of a sense of calm, practical thinking was also required that respects the constraints of dimensions. The television, for example, was designed on a ceiling column at the end of the bed, so that it would not take up valuable storage space and at the same time allow for comfortable viewing. A minimally lowered ceiling hides the column’s construction and incorporates geometric lighting profiles to create different light scenarios. A delicate body that descends from the magnetic profile is placed above the side table, and on the other side of the bed, a red light fixture was chosen that adds a touch of color.
In a room with such a structure, the bed is the point of balance: it needs to be present and luxurious, but leave room to breathe. “Since I design a lot of apartments in the center, where the bedrooms are not large, I usually look for beds that will allow me the maximum sense of size in the space, without compromising on beauty, comfort and design,” explains Yael, who choseIn the AUPING Essential bed from Hollandia,An award-winning model, designed by the Berlin designer duo Köhler & Wilms.The bed has clean, rounded lines, a thin headboard that doesn’t “take up” space, and a frame that only adds about 2 cm to the width of the mattress, a solution that allows for comfortable movement even when space is limited. The shade chosen is slightly darker than the walls of the room, so that the bed is present but not overpowering, and at its foot a footstool was fitted that continues the same functional elegance: a convenient place to place clothes, and at the same time an element that protects against an unplanned encounter with the TV stand. Along with all of this, the designer also notes the choice of biodegradable and recyclable materials – a small detail that adds a layer of thought within precise minimalism.
Planning and design |Yael Shavit DesignersPhotography| Karin RavanaStyling for photos| Mirit Fish
About the firm | Yael Shavit Designers
Yael Shavit has been behind an active office for over a decade, born from a career change she made from the field of finance to the world of interior design. Today, she specializes in large-scale projects, from private construction, through the planning and renovation of luxury apartments and penthouses, to commercial spaces, and brings with her a combination of precision and planning that looks several steps ahead.
She defines her style as “clean modern,” but emphasizes that the real signature is created precisely from the ability to see the client and their personal taste in her mind’s eye, and weave it into the restrained language she brings with her. For her, a successful process begins with a deep familiarity with the lifestyle, needs, and desires, and translates into practical and maximum utilization of each space, alongside a design that allows the home to change along with the residents over the years. To these she adds an “enabling” budget framework (including room for whims and desires that arise along the way), an emphasis on openness and transparency with the client, and most importantly, an uncompromising choice of excellent professionals and suppliers, so that the dream does not remain on paper, but comes true without compromising on the potential.
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Where design meets lifestyle
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Where design meets lifestyle
Where design meets lifestyle
