ALL THAT GLITTERS

The Poroda House by Makhno Studio blends classic and contemporary influences to reinterpret the golden age of cinema with all the sophistication and none of the pomp of the bygone era

- Olha Romaniuk

A typical vision for a home for media personalities might bring to mind images of grandeur, ostentatiousness and extravagance befitting the often larger-than-life characters of its owners. Taking a slightly different route and flipping the preconceived notion of glitz and glamour on its head, contemporary architectural practice Makhno Studio adopted a more timeless and sophisticated approach to designing interior spaces for a young family of ambitious media mavens, focusing instead on crafting an abode that could seamlessly accommodate the diverse lifestyles of its occupants under a unified theme.

“Our clients are a family that are at the same time media personalities, ambitious business partners, young parents, sophisticated creators, hospitable hosts and connoisseurs of personal space,” says Serhii Makhno, founder of Makhno Studio. “All these aspects of life had to find their place in the new home and materialise in the form of functional spaces for both family relaxation and professional activities.”

DIVERSE INFLUENCES

The two-storey house in Kyiv, Ukraine is described by Makhno as combining “the sophistication of a palace, reliability of a fortress and comfort of a home”. In terms of space planning, the design requirements had to seamlessly integrate various functions contained within different zones in the home.

Given this, the ground floor of the house was dedicated to spacious common areas such as a large living room with a kitchen, a cinema room and other social spaces, while the second floor was designed to house the private zones such as the master bedroom, children’s room, study, guest room and dressing rooms, ensuring privacy while maintaining connectivity throughout the home.