MAKHNO studio‘s latest project, PODYKH APARTMENT, is a two-story home on the Pacific coast where lightness and naturalness reign supreme. This project epitomises the studio’s approach to design — harmonising space, materials, and atmosphere to create a living environment that breathes with elegance and comfort.
122 m² may seem limited for a two-story house, but the studio’s goal was to visually open and expand the space, allowing it to breathe freely. To achieve this, they utilised clever design tricks and architectural redevelopment, transforming this compact apartment into a vast and airy retreat.
The ground floor hosts a large common space with dining and relaxing areas, as well as a guest bathroom. Upstairs, two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms ensure privacy and comfort.
Optimizing the space required changes to the layout: the cramped restroom area on the first floor was expanded, and the stairs leading to the second floor were moved and structurally lightened. This adjustment created more usable space, particularly by freeing up a niche beneath the stairs.
The heart of the apartment is a bright, open living room with panoramic ocean views and a second light. There are no walls or partitions, allowing for maximum air circulation and a sense of spaciousness. The materials used — wood, clay, stone, metal, and natural textiles — create a seamless connection with nature.
In the kitchen area, high-quality stainless steel combines with a warm wooden worktop. Above, the ceramic art lamp CHOVEN by MAKHNO fills the space with a gentle honey light. The dining area features a massive table with ceramic raku legs and a stone top, complemented by elegant clusters of KHMARA lamps hanging from the second light — a favorite silhouette of the owners. All materials are natural and eco-friendly.
In the recreation area, a luxurious soft sofa sits alongside a ceramic table, and the walls are adorned with clay artistic molding depicting natural textures. DIDOs, ceramic sculptures, add an artistic and aesthetic depth to the room. The floors and ceiling are crafted from oak planks, while the walls are covered in clay artistic plaster. Natural materials like wood and clay create a warm, inviting atmosphere that allows the space to breathe.
The guest bathroom continues the story of natural materials and shapes. Ceramic tiles, arranged in cracked patterns, give the side walls a sense of physical expansion. The front wall features DROZH volumetric art tiles, combined into a striking, colorful pattern. A VULYK ceramic lamp and a real stone washbasin complete the design, creating a sense of stability and natural texture that breathes with life.
A light wooden staircase leads to the second floor, where even more space awaits. The walls are decorated with a wave-like metal art object, adding a shimmering, silver touch to the air. Glass handrails, light clay plaster, and wood give the corridors a bright and spacious feel, while light open partitions allow for unobstructed air circulation throughout the upper floor.
The master bedroom is designed to be an open, airy retreat. Without solid walls, the light partitions allow for easy flow from one space to another. An OKO PURE frameless art mirror stands at the entrance, emphasizing the concept of lightness. The bedroom is filled with unique art objects, including a MAKIVKA lamp and QUADROPOD art tiles. The space resembles a modern art gallery, featuring niches for decorative objects, glass partitions that play with sunlight, and asymmetrical furniture that creates a harmonious, inspiring atmosphere.
The guest bedroom is a calm and serene space, accented by dark tones that balance the flood of natural light from panoramic windows. WIND tiles create a dynamic chiaroscuro effect, while artistic plaster and simple wooden niches complete the design. The VOLCANO ceramic lamp adds a final touch, balancing artistic craftsmanship with natural beauty.
The PODYKH APARTMENT is a design experiment in visually expanding space, adding dynamic air circulation, and creating an atmosphere that feels alive. Every corner of this home is carefully crafted for comfort and beauty, making it both cozy and intriguing — a true living art space.
