- Interior
- Architecture & development
When Maria Grudina first saw the Russian House, a complex of 395 flats in the centre of St Petersburg, she was enchanted. The residence is designed like an old Russian palace thanks to interior designer Tim Veresnovsky. The top-floor apartment even has fairy-tale towers.
Throughout the apartment you can find several references to fairy tales.
While most of the apartment in the complex sold quickly, the last floor was a deterrent to many due to the two-metre high ceilings of the tower rooms. But not for Grudina. She saw this room as a creative space where she could receive guests, as well as hold literary events and other cultural gatherings.
Because the complex had just been built, Veresnovsky started with an almost blank slate. Given the location, he knew that he wanted to play with Russian design history while adding global elements that matched Grudina's interest in advanced medical developments and modern culture. 
In view of the need for light, Veresnovsky extended the windows in the living room with white stucco arches reminiscent of traditional Russian building techniques. A custom-made lamp hanging in the middle of the room is reminiscent of the round chandeliers of Orthodox churches. The crosses cut out of the lamp's panels act as plus signs, a nod to Grudina's medical positivism. Above the fireplace hangs a black-and-white artwork depicting Mickey Mouse, which in turn is a nod to the Orthodox icons and a touch of ironic pop-internationalism.
In the largest bedroom, there is a contemporary Russian painting with a half-naked woman in the arms of a beast, which refers to the fairy tale Belle and the Beast. Veresnovsky clearly created something magical for Grudina. 
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Design by Tim Veresnovsky, photography by Mikhail Loskutov