Home tour: Parisian elegance meets Scandinavian simplicity in this vibrant Almaty apartment

The brief from the homeowners was delightfully simple yet profound, as the young and up-and-coming designer elaborates: “I only received one photo example of what the clients liked in terms of style, and a few wishes. The main one was to create a feeling of lightness and novelty that they experience during their travels around the world.”

“Fortunately, they were ready to experiment and open to new things,” he adds. “This was incredibly energising, inspiring, and motivating–awakening the desire to push for even better and more interesting concepts.”

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Drawing inspiration from the couple’s eclectic interests spanning sports, psychology, skiing, and snowboarding, as well as their impressive art collection and library of collectible books on history and fashion, Mamedov crafted “an interior on the verge of Parisian chic, Scandinavian restraint, and Kazakh hospitality.”

His recent travels, particularly to Paris and Scandinavia, proved instrumental in shaping the apartment’s aesthetic direction: deep blue Parisian doors, gilded emerald gold elements, and bright red hues are peppered throughout the space.

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“Adding bright elements to interiors does not have to mean flashy and eccentric,” Mamedov says. “They can calmly and delicately harmonise with each other and be quite suitable for people who have never thought that taking a shower in a pink bathroom would be a pleasant experience.”

Beginning in the spacious entrance hall, Santiago Navarro’s artwork, discovered in a Roche Bobois salon, became the compositional heart of the entire scheme.

“The painting greets everyone who enters the house and makes it immediately clear to them who the people living here are and what inspires them,” Mamedov shares.

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Oak parquet flooring imported from Canada leads the way from the hall into the expansive living room, where a biofuel fireplace encased in natural marble anchors the space.

Here, masterful colour orchestration echoes the palette of Navarro’s painting through red cushions and sideboard, yellow lamps, lilac upholstery, and ochre accents in tables and décor. 

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“We used a biofuel fireplace from a local manufacturer, but most of those models are quite minimalistic, and I did not want to use this style in such a fundamental element of the living room,” Mamedov elaborates. “I redrew and reassembled the fireplace area several times before the result satisfied both me and the homeowners.”

Meanwhile, the private quarters reflect a more subdued but equally considered approach to colour and materials. 

The master bedroom embraces soft, powdery tones of dusty pink, creamy beige, and grey olive to create a serene sanctuary, while the versatile guest room features calming sky blue and ginger-lemon hues that exude an inspiring ambiance for contemplation and creativity.

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“I learned a lot on a trip to Scandinavia, where we selected the perfect lamps and chairs,” Mamedov shares. “After another visit to Paris, I brought vintage brass candlesticks and décor that I found at the Saint-Ouen market.” 

These vintage pieces complement a sophisticated blend of cult design icons–Viennese chairs by Ton, Verner Panton lamps–alongside some of the homeowners’ existing furniture archive, including armchairs and a banquette passed down from their parents.

“We restored them, upholstered them with fabrics also brought from Paris, and gave new life to pieces with such rich personal history,” Mamedov adds.

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While the project itself was creative, interesting and multifaceted, Mamedov and the homeowners remained flexible and open to change. 

“I wanted to create an interesting, light, but at the same time multi-layered space that would gradually open up and tell its inhabitants a new story each time,” he concludes.

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