A Flat in Teşvikiye / Beşiktaş/İstanbul

From Homeart Magazine October 2021 Interview,

“This apartment was originally 150 m², a four-bedroom, one-living-room flat. On Hüsrevgerede Street, these homes are designed so that the living room faces the street, with a long corridor leading to the bedrooms at the back. I transformed the dark, windowless room at the rear—originally opening only to the corridor—into the en-suite bathroom for the master bedroom. The small room located between two of the bedrooms became a walk-in dressing room, also accessed through the master suite. The last remaining bedroom, entered from the corridor, was redesigned as a guest room with its own bathroom. Today, it serves as a secondary study.

The living area overlooking the street is about 40 m² and enjoys wonderful natural light. For the dining table, I specifically chose marble. Beyond its elegance, marble has proven extremely practical for daily use and especially convenient when hosting dinner gatherings.

When approaching the decoration, I envisioned a contemporary setting where I could display plenty of art while also integrating antiques and vintage objects. To achieve this, I kept most of the walls white and opted for track spot lighting. Painting the walls and ceiling in white and avoiding crown moldings gave the rooms a more spacious, higher-ceilinged feel. Simple skirting boards and doors provided a neutral backdrop, creating balance with the classic furniture and pieces of my own design that I later introduced. For the television wall, I chose a single dark gray tone and complemented it with darker furnishings. Between the seating and dining areas, I placed a custom-designed daybed. This low piece of furniture helped define the functions while also enhancing the sense of openness in the living room.

Another major transformation took place in the kitchen. The original kitchen, facing the lightwell, was only a third of its current size. Like many old Teşvikiye apartments, it also featured a separate service entrance with an attached corridor, which wasted considerable space. I removed all those corridors and reimagined the space as a large, U-shaped, island-style kitchen that now opens directly onto the living area.”

— Architect Leyla Doğrular