An independent magazine about home renovation and interiors. Not a company website and not connected with the former site on this domain; we do not provide services. Electrics, gas and load-bearing structures are for professionals only.
Ideas
A successful interior rarely rests on one expensive item. More often it comes from a few well-considered decisions: light where it is needed, a calm colour scheme, enough storage and clear zones. These principles work in a home of any size, and many of them can be applied without a major renovation.
Before changing the finishes, live with one question for a while: what in this room gets in your way every day? The answer often points to the best idea.
How this section works: we describe general principles, not the projects of particular people or homes. They are pointers for your own decisions, not ready-made recipes. Complex changes — moving walls, wet areas or the kitchen — require a design and approval.
Six directions that make a good starting point for refreshing an interior.
A single pendant in the middle of the room gives flat light. Add task lighting over the desk or worktop and soft accent light — wall lights, a floor lamp, shelf lighting. New connection points are designed and installed by an electrician.
A common designer guideline: the main colour covers most of the room, a second colour supports it, and a bright accent stays small. A scheme can be built on neighbouring colours on the wheel, on contrasting ones or on shades of one colour.
Use the height: floor-to-ceiling cupboards, shelves above the door, high storage. Built-in storage under the bed and around the window frees up the floor. Closed fronts look calmer than open shelving.
Light, a rug, a change of flooring, a shelving unit or a light partition all help divide a room. None of these changes the structure of the building or requires approval as an alteration.
A combined space works well if you think through ventilation, lighting for the work area and the boundary between kitchen and lounge. Moving walls and wet areas counts as an alteration and requires approval.
A desk by the window gets natural light, but the light should fall from the side, not onto the screen. Add a desk lamp, space for papers and a convenient socket. Even an alcove in the hallway can become a compact study.
References are images of interiors you like. Collect them in one folder or board and do not limit yourself at first. After a week or two, look through the collection and note what repeats: wall colour, type of lighting, floor texture, furniture shapes. The repeats reveal your taste.
Add a note to each image saying exactly what you like about it. Without a note it is easy to confuse good lighting with good furniture. Compare the references with your own room: size, ceiling height, which way it faces. A solution that looks great in a spacious hall may not suit a small bedroom.
Before buying materials, test the chosen colour in place: apply a sample to a piece of card or a patch of wall and look at it in the morning, afternoon and evening. Colour on a screen or a shop sample almost always differs from the colour on your wall.
Paints, decorative plasters, tiles, wallpaper, flooring and ceilings: types and properties in general terms. The article catalogue lives here too.
The order of renovation works, an estimate without figures, a contract with a contractor, handover and what the law says about alterations.
How to care for painted walls, wallpaper, tiles, floors, ceilings and furniture, and what to check each season.
Information on materials and works is given in general terms, based on manufacturers' technical documentation, the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, EMERCOM of Russia safety leaflets and encyclopaedic sources. Coverage, application conditions and drying times for a specific product are set by its manufacturer — always check the packaging and instructions.