In 2021, Kyiv-based interior designer Maya Baklan created a warm and vibrant Scandinavian-style apartment in the centre of the Ukrainian capital. The once run-down dwelling, part of a Stalin era building, was reconfigured to maximise use of the light and airy space. Maya Baklan restored and preserved key features found throughout the apartment, such as the exposed brickwork and retro radiators. Skilfully blending old and new, she designed a smart and welcoming home.
The captivating Agatha lamp was designed by Luis Eslava for LZF.
In a post on her Instagram page on 30th July 2022, Maya Baklan reflects on the Kyiv-based apartment: ‘[We photographed] this project almost a year ago. Then we had a lot of work and soon our world turned upside down. So there is no better time than now to share photos of this amazing apartment.’
When approaching Maya Baklan, the clients expressed a passion for Swedish homes, something she translated in her use of a white colour palette, wood, textiles, and the carefully considered application of brighter hues. The apartment is filled with a mix of classic, contemporary, and bespoke furniture pieces and lighting. Artwork, greenery, and personal objects—notably the magnificent cello—augment the home’s character, ensuring it is much more than just an interior showpiece.
The apartment’s bright living area and kitchen are imbued with an industrial-meets-Scandinavian aesthetic. A black-framed glass partition between the living area and kitchen allows both rooms to be used as discrete spaces. It is here that LZF’s large Agatha pendant exudes calmness and is very much present. Suspended above a cosy dining table, Agatha’s curling strips of handmade wood veneer charm and captivate the eye. Maya Baklan’s creative choice of Agatha for the living area adds a pleasingly sculptural decoration to the contemporary space.
LZF was particularly struck by this apartment’s imaginative design and thrilled that Maya Baklan included its large Agatha pendant in the project. Her work, and the work of numerous creatives throughout Kyiv and Ukraine, showcase the country’s abundant cultural and artistic endeavours.
This smart storage space proudly displays the owner’s bike.
Photography by Kyiv-based Yevhenii Avramenko.
