Project: Ashdod Apartment
Architects: ReMa Architects
Author: Marina Rechter-Rubinstein
Location: Israel
Area: 140 sqm
Courtesy of ReMa Architects
Architect Marina Rechter-Rubinstein, owner of ReMa Architects, was entrusted with planning the inspiring apartment, using a meticulous and welcoming design, overlooking the Mediterranean shores of the city of Ashdod.
The young couple wished to create a homely, inviting and embracing space for themselves and their three children within the 140-square-meter, high floor apartment that they purchased from a contractor in one of Ashdod’s new housing projects. To this end, they enlisted the services of architect Marina Rechter-Rubinstein, owner of ReMa Architects, who designed a space for them, precisely tailored to their tastes and needs. “This is a warm and loving family, above all it was important for them to turn the standard apartment to a welcoming space, and so throughout the work process I made sure to transform the structure into a family nest that they can enjoy for many years,” explains the architect.
The process took about three years. The original design of the contractor was completely different, in this new one the architect insisted on combining required functions to create ample open spaces, multiple storage areas and an ideal view of the sea from all locations, including bathrooms, a detail which sweepingly influenced the entire design.
The Ashdod apartment boasts a wide mutual space and four bedrooms. Thus, Rechter-Rubenstein was able to connect the closet with the bedroom in the couple’s suite, the spacious bathroom with an effective utility room, and the kitchen with the dining area. The wall of the fireplace, shown as soon as one enters the apartment, separates the public area from the private areas, leaving sections of the private space, such as the bathroom, hidden from sight. It is perceived as the element that provides warmth, allowing to join and unite the various elements and units.
The warm and comprising design is visible from every corner of the location. The design is young, dynamic and contemporary, and at the same time conveys this warmth by combinations of natural materials – wood being one of the dominates, showing in different parts of the house in a balanced and precise manner, as well as soft and pleasant complementary colors that helps create an open and uncluttered look. “The furniture we chose is relatively minimalist, giving a place of honor to the golden beaches and the blue sea that blend well with the color scheme of the house. The geometric and asymmetrical composition that characterizes the space (by the fireplace wall at the entrance, the complex TV wall and other elements) add interest and dynamics to the space,” explains the architect.
“We worked, for example, with parquet consisting of oak units in three different sizes and various finishes, as well as a decorative wall made of wooden bars, elements that blend harmoniously into the space and form an important layer in the complex design impression.
On the other end, we combined elements in greenish colors such as the sideboard (the multimedia furniture) and built-in elements like the fireplace at the entrance, creating a required buffer between the areas while still leaving the space open and rarefied. ”
The warm and meticulous aesthetic continues in the kitchen, at its center stands an island made of concrete-like Corian, to which a tabletop made of natural wood is attached on a higher plane. The wood-colored cladding is an echo of the opposing living room colors, creating a darker contrast with the wood of the furniture in the niche.
In the couple’s bedroom suite, a wall from the east stands out, the fact that it is not in the original wall plane adds three-dimensional and complex visuals to the space and it undoubtedly constitutes an important and central focal point. The sink cabinet lies outside the couple’s bathroom, its access comes from the leading hallway. The transparent partition created by Rechter-Rubinshain creates a somewhat hidden somewhat visible element that allows for an extraordinary view of the shoreline.
The bathrooms have been designed with a natural and organic look; some would say that they create a feeling of an actual lounge. In the bathroom next to the utility room, the architect orchestrated a decorative niche wall that is usually seen from the living room and the bathroom, used as an art piece for all matters.
The gilded, fabric-like ceramic was applied to the 3 meters long tiles, adding to the open and airy atmosphere.
