Resedential

Elif Tower, Almaty 2023

Area: 45,6 m²

Interior Design: Fariz Mammadov

Photography: Roman Yakunin

Styling: Fariz Mammadov, Anel Yerdenova

The project was developed: May 2023 

Design Completed: December 2023

Photography: May 2024

Budget Friendly Apartment Renovation in Almaty — Fariz Mamedov

This apartment in Almaty originally had a rather peculiar layout from the developer, and I was invited to somehow make it work.

The brief sounded simple enough: choose furniture, create a sleeping area, and refresh the existing interior. No demolition, no construction, no moving walls. Painful! 😅

Even from the first photographs, I knew that leaving everything as it was wouldn't be fair to the client, the apartment, or myself. But the budget was limited, the brief was crystal clear, and the challenge was tempting — so I decided to give it a try!

After taking measurements, I prepared a furniture layout based on the original brief. It wasn't bad, but honestly, it still felt like a compromise. So, just out of curiosity, I drew another option — starting completely from scratch, with a new floor plan and a different approach to the space.

I showed my client both versions, and the decision was obvious: what began as a simple decorating project turned into a complete apartment renovation!

We moved the kitchen into the former hallway, created a separate bedroom, a proper living room, and much-needed storage. And we kept the budget under control by reusing some construction materials, refreshing the existing bathroom, and letting color do much of the work. A lemon-yellow bedroom, deep green living room, bright blue kitchen — with a few designer pieces from HAY, Muuto, and &Tradition.

Of course, you can always repaint the walls and buy a beautiful sofa, but will that really make your life more comfortable if the foundation — the floor plan itself — doesn't work?

For me, this project is a reminder that even with a limited budget, thoughtful interior design can completely transform a space and perhaps even the quality of everyday life.

Scroll down to explore the floor plan ↓