A real palace hides in an ordinary Minsk multi-story building. Millions were invested in its renovation
Not far from the very center of the city stands a completely ordinary multi-story building, past which hundreds of Minsk residents go about their daily business. But few passersby realize that behind its facade hides a real palace. Two floors, 341 square meters, a Baroque-style interior with expensive Italian furniture, where just the kitchen costs almost as much as a one-room apartment.
The apartment is located in a multi-story building at No. 4 Timiryazeva Street, not far from the intersection with Masherava Avenue (to the left, a couple of hundred meters away — the "Kaskad" residential complex), writes Onliner.by.
The building was constructed in 2008. For Minsk at that time, such a monolithic-frame building was considered an example of elite housing. Several things ensured the special status of the house: a prestigious location and panoramic views of Masherava Avenue, a closed territory, and underground parking (yes, now no one will be surprised by this, but back then it was still impressive).
The building was erected in the era when people who grew up in cramped Khrushchevka apartments no longer wanted to limit themselves in square footage. Developers tried to satisfy these desires, so apartments with an area of more than 100 square meters appeared on the real estate market. Here, it's a whopping 341 square meters.
The current owners purchased the dwelling when the house was just built. Initially, these were two separate apartments on the 11th and 12th floors — each 170 square meters. They decided to combine them into one. The approval process took several months, as did the subsequent reconstruction. The renovation of this enormous space, comparable in size to a full-fledged cottage, took several years.
The apartment can be accessed from any level. The main entrance is on the lower floor and leads into an entrance hall, which flows into a hall with a staircase, and further into the living room.
The first floor also features a bedroom, a kitchen with a dining area, and a bathroom. The second level can be accessed not only from inside, via the staircase, but also from outside (the entrance is organized through the laundry room). Here are three more bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The Nota Bene studio, which operates throughout Europe, was responsible for developing the design concept. However, the owners themselves handled the apartment's furnishings. For this, they had to travel to the production site in Bologna several times to personally select materials, forms, and decorative elements.
— The dwelling is fully furnished with furniture from the Italian brand Visionnaire — this factory creates interiors for private residences, yachts, and expensive hotels. The composition is assembled on the principle of a total look: everything you see — from furniture to lighting fixtures and even fittings — is made there, with some details crafted by hand, — the owners explain.
The brand adheres to the philosophy of meta-luxury. As the name suggests, this is luxury multiplied by luxury (perhaps twice). This is unequivocally hinted at not only by the visual component — gilded openwork bedside tables, marble tables, stucco work directly on kitchen facades — but also by the price tag. For example, just one bed costs about €18,000 at the current exchange rate (for the same money, you could buy a brand new Belgee).
In terms of style, the interior is built at the intersection of Art Deco, modern Baroque, and classicism. The main emphasis here is on the combination of complex textures and materials.
Ostrich and eel leather, natural fur and silk, marble and semi-precious stones, solid wood, chromed and gilded steel were used in the room decor. Even the carpets here were handmade.
The first thing that greets guests on the lower level is a bright entrance hall with a floor-to-ceiling mirror enclosed in a soft capitonné-style frame (this technique was previously used for upholstery in carriage interiors).
A velvet banquette and wardrobes, also with pleasant fabric upholstery, are installed in the corridor.
From here, guests enter a hall with a custom-made "cloud" staircase. It consists of solid marble steps with ornate forged railings.
Most of the first floor is occupied by the living room, which is divided into two full-fledged parts — a dinner party for several dozen people can be easily organized here.
One part is arranged around an electric fireplace, decorated with cherub sculptures and aged glass with patina, creating a slightly mystical atmosphere. A place for a home library was also found nearby.
Interestingly, the books for it were also selected by designers (apparently, so that nothing would visually stand out from the overall concept).
The second part of the living room features leather sofas with carriage upholstery and a home theater. A bar with a solid wood counter covered in black lacquer is provided at the back. The multi-level ceiling repeats the motif with aged glass, and floor lamps as tall as a person complement the ambiance.
The kitchen-dining room cost the owners more than €53,000 equivalent — it was custom-made at the same factory in Bologna. Snow-white solid wood facades are decorated with stucco, and the work surface and dining table are made from a single piece of marble. As accents, there are Murano glass chandeliers, porcelain vases, and wall finishing in purple velvet with mirrored inserts.
Despite the solemnity of the setting, the kitchen turned out to be quite functional. It has all the necessary appliances: a built-in coffee machine, oven, microwave oven, refrigerator. Moreover, behind separate doors, there is another room resembling a classic servant's quarter. In fact, it's another storage area: additional cabinets, a second freezer, and a wine cabinet with lighting and temperature control were installed inside.
The guest bedroom on the first floor was decorated in a calm beige-gray palette. In the center of the room is a massive bed with a headboard decorated with carved monograms and gilding. The bedside tables are painted in a golden hue and mounted directly on the wall, making them appear to float in the air.
A dressing table with a mirror was integrated into a niche between two built-in wardrobes. The setting is complemented by a classic armchair, a banquette, and a multi-tiered crystal chandelier.
Next door is a guest bathroom, where the same palatial style continues: a bulging vanity cabinet, a shower cabin, gilded plumbing fixtures, and a gigantic towel dryer that occupies almost the entire wall.
Climbing the stairs to the second floor, your gaze immediately falls upon the stained-glass windows on the ceiling. It seems as if natural daylight streams through them, filling the halls with mosaic glints, but in reality, it's built-in lighting.
The walls here are painted in a deep brick-terracotta color and serve as an excellent backdrop for paintings by Belarusian artists.
The second level can be considered a private zone — three bedrooms are located here. The main one is decorated using lilac and silver shades.
A majestic bed with a silk headboard occupies the central place. A soft textile canopy is integrated into the ceiling, while a silver chest of drawers, dressing tables, and mirrored panels with facets add a cold metallic sheen to the room.
The presence of two walk-in closets in the room deserves special attention.
There's plenty of space here: a complete collection of shoes, everyday clothes, and seasonal attire can be comfortably stored.
From the bedroom, you can enter a private bathroom, which somewhat resembles a Roman bath. The Jacuzzi is installed on a high podium, and the walls are laid with bright mosaics. Two identical washbasins with gilded mirrors are arranged strictly symmetrically — you can get ready simultaneously with your significant other.
Inside, a shower cabin and a toilet are also equipped, and even the latter is impressive.
On the same floor are two more bedrooms: a turquoise one with velvet walls and a mirrored wardrobe that visually expands the room's boundaries, and a contrasting one in brown-red tones with an equipped workspace.
In addition to the decorative component and rare materials, the apartment is equipped with a "Smart Home" system: from a smartphone, you can control radiators, adjust underfloor heating, set up supply and exhaust ventilation, automatically close or open curtains, and activate leak sensors with shut-off valves.
Also, each room features carefully designed lighting: from built-in backlighting to accent sconces and chandeliers. Due to this variability, in some rooms, a single switch combines 6-8 keys.
This allows for precise adjustment of the atmosphere for specific tasks: from soft twilight for watching movies to bright formal lighting for entertaining guests.
The unique residence is now listed for sale. Its price is 4,510,950 Belarusian Rubles (approximately €1,334,000 at the current exchange rate).
— More than two million euros have been invested in the renovation alone, but we perfectly understand that hardly anyone will buy an apartment for that much money. We had to lower the price to finally sell it," shares a family representative.
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