Houzz Tour: In Tel Aviv, a Warmly Modern Pied-à-Terre
http://www.decor-ideas.org 07/01/2015 23:13 Decor Ideas
New balcony construction on an apartment he owned in Tel Aviv was about to force his tenants to move out. So this Miami man decided it was time to make the place his pied-à-terre to enjoy when he was in Israel visiting family and friends. Hiring Miami interior designer Lourdes Gabriela was a choice move, as she also makes frequent trips to Israel. The designer was able to tap local resources, find local artwork and hit up a nearby treasure trove, the Shuk Hapishpishim (that’s the Jaffa Flea Market in English) for unique finds that layered the apartment in warm textures. At the same time, she pleased her client by keeping things streamlined enough for his modern tastes.
“After” photos by Roy Mizrahi Photography
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: This is the pied-à-terre of a Miami businessman who makes frequent trips to Israel to visit family.
Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Size: 1,270 square feet (118 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
BEFORE: The homeowner had purchased the apartment in 2006 because it was a great deal, he had grown up visiting cousins in the area, and he wanted to have a foot in Israel. He didn’t have exact plans for the unit at the time and wound up renting it out to tenants.
The balcony addition was great space-altering news for the living room, and having to face losing his tenants during construction made the homeowner realize it was time to make it suitable for himself and his children. Also, with both of the children off in college, he had more time to spend in Israel. Conveniently, he was able to hire the company working on the balconies to complete the interior renovation work, and both projects were were finished at the same time.
AFTER: This is the view as you enter the apartment. The “long bowling alley” layout of the living spaces was a design challenge. Gabriela defined the spaces using rugs, lighting, a grouping of photographs from the client’s collection and a deep blue accent wall in the living room.
“My approach is to use textures and create layers, but I knew this client liked things more streamlined,” Gabriela says. “But once I spied this chandelier all broken and missing crystals at the shuk, and when he agreed to it, I knew he was open to vintage finds and unique items.”
Dining table: Siam Interior Design
The chandelier has been fully rehabilitated with replacement crystals and new wiring.
Her client was excited to change his role in Tel Aviv from frequent guest to frequent host. Gabriela planned the apartment to accommodate parties and occasions like Shabbat dinners. The dining table extends to accommodate 14 guests.
The new balcony transformed the apartment, extending the living space outdoors and the glass doors and windows all the way from the ceiling to the floor.
Cocktail table: Siam Interior Design; light fixture: Kamchi
Lots of straight lines make her client happy, while color, pattern and textures lend the warm, layered look Gabriela knew would work well here.
The furniture is a mix of retail and vintage finds. Custom built-in shelves around the TV bring in warm wood and straight lines. A chandelier composed of three clear glass pendants adds interesting silhouettes without clunking up the ceiling.
Accent wall paint: Amalfi Navy in matte finish, Ralph Lauren; wall paint in living area, dining area, kitchen, laundry and hall: Parchment in matte finish, Ralph Lauren; ceiling paint: Brilliant White, Benjamin Moore; sofa and bound rugs: I.D. Design; cocktail table: Siam Interior Design; lighting: Kamchi Lighting
Gabriela discovered wonderful woodworkers locally. The Ha Nagaria Co-Op crafted the shelves that flank the TV and other important elements, like the bar and a new built-in desk in the master bedroom.
BEFORE: Gabriela managed to give her client shuk fever during the process — he found this armchair there on a trip without the designer by his side. When he sent her a photo of the chair, she was somewhat flummoxed. “But I held back, because on the other hand I was so elated that he had selected a piece with so much character,” she says.
AFTER: The designer found a furniture refurbisher and upholsterer at (where else?) the shuk. “I made the chair the focal point of the living space by reupholstering it in China Seas Quadrille batik-inspired fabric,” she says. The colors pick up nicely on the blue of the accent wall on the opposite side of the room.
Beyond the shuk, the designer found many accessories at two other fantastic local sources. She highly recommends the shop in the Eretz Israel Museum and the twice-weekly open art fair Nachalat Benyamin. Both are stocked with pieces from Israeli artists.
BEFORE: A white wall cut off the kitchen from the rest of the living space.
AFTER: Gabriela removed the wall to open the kitchen up to the rest of the space. A Moroccan mirror she found at the shuk reflects the light.
The wall to the right was pushed into the space about 2 feet to gain more space for the two bathrooms.
BEFORE: When the kitchen was closed off by a wall, it was a good thing, because it wasn’t a very appealing sight.
AFTER: The new kitchen is tight but sleek and hardworking, and fits in with the rest of the rooms it opens to. The cabinet to the left of the vent hood contains a coffee station, and the top oven is a microwave-convection oven. Gabriela mixed dark wood laminate cabinets with Caesarstone countertops and glossy white cabinets, and used a tinted glass backsplash all the way up the wall to reflect the light and keep a minimalist look.
Cabinets and appliances: Decora
Because her client was excited about entertaining family and friends here, Gabriela made the most of a small niche by incorporating a built-in bar. Continuing the dark blue paint connected the bar to the living room area. The inside has racks for wine and wineglasses, as well as ample space for other barware and bottles.
Bar: crafted by The Ha Nagaria Co-Op; circular sculpture: Eretz Israel Museum
The homeowner met Time magazine photographer David Rubinger in Miami after attending a lecture and began collecting his work. These photos show Israeli prime ministers in personal moments. “I treated the grouping of photographs as one piece of art, rather than lining them all up,” Gabriela says. She had the photographs reframed and rematted at Meitsag Gallery to give them a more cohesive look.
“I also placed them so to create this view from the hallway,” she says. The hallway leads to the bedrooms and bathrooms. This grouping also helps create a visual divide between the dining and living spaces, as does the rug.
BEFORE: The office area and bulky armoire made the master bedroom feel cramped and not at all relaxing.
AFTER: Clearing out the clutter made the room much more restful. Gabriela had her carpenters build another armoire-like piece in another part of the room. Armoires in place of closets are typical of apartments in Israel.
Traditional embroidered pillows and a tapestry serving as a coverlet add bright color and dynamic pattern to the bed. “I went for a boutique hotel approach with bedding and picked up all white bedding and towels in the United States as a base, then added accents for style,” the designer says.
Wall paint: Calypso, Benjamin Moore; beds and mattresses (in all bedrooms): Aluf Mizranim; wall sconces: Kamchi: accent pillows: Ginger Home, Restoration Hardware and custom made
A new built-in desk keeps the office area from overtaking the room.
Desk: The Ha Nagaria Co-Op
BEFORE: Both bathrooms needed updating.
AFTER: Gabriela brought warmth to the bathrooms via tile that looks like rich wood. At the same time, she kept the minimalist look her client preferred with glossy white vanities, clear glass surrounds and white Caesarstone countertops.
The shower stall has a river rock tile floor.
Here you can see one of the interior doors, right. The designer replaced all of the interior doors with these to layer in texture.
Doors: Decora; flooring, bath tiles, fixtures and shower enclosures: Boutique Ceramica
In the client’s daughter’s room, flea market accent tables and handwoven kilim pillow covers add character. The daughter is doing a post-college-graduation stint in Tel Aviv right now and enjoying the apartment very much.
Wall paint: Bellflower Blue, Ralph Lauren; kilim pillow covers: Ginger Home; other bedding: West Elm; rug: Sasson Carpets
Contractor: Avi Hoshiar Construction
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