Landscape Alley Fuses Kyiv Artem with Dutch Precision

“From the old interior, only one chair has survived the entire renovation process,” she told Interior Design.

Landscape Alley was created for a couple and their son who divide their time between the Middle East and Ukraine, but have a strong emotional connection to Kyiv.

Molodykh paid attention to every detail while working on the project to make sure the apartment doesn’t have just practical value, but also shares the owners’ philosophy.

“We named the apartment Landscape Alley because this is the name of the address of the building, a favorite recreation area for many residents and visitors of the city.”

The apartment is also important for the previous owner who emigrated in the 1960s, yet always wanted his grandson to return to the family home in Kyiv.

“The apartment remained preserved, filled with memories of Soviet times, including all the furniture and lighting fixtures from that era, until it was eventually sold,” Molodykh said.

“When he met the current owners, one of who is deeply connected to her homeland and wants to leave a legacy for their son on their native land, he realized that she was the person he could trust with his cherished gem.”

Before giving up his longtime home, the previous owner, named Felix, shared with the new residents all of his stories about the neighborhood.

“Felix personally gave them a tour of the historic sites around the building, sharing stories of his active involvement in its renovation and showing them his favorite spots on Landscape Alley,” Molodykh said.

She discovered that most of the historic furniture had to be removed and only one chair survived the renovation. Named Felix, the chair serves as a memory of the previous owner.

Combining modern сonvenience with a sense of nostalgia, Molodykh said her main goal was to make it a functional space with two bedrooms and a walk-in closet, while maintaining all the historic features.

“The respectable age of the building dictated the classical architecture of the apartment,” she explained. “At the same time, the interior is a rich mix of styles and eras, ranging from Belle Époque and Art Deco to mid-century modern and brutalism.”

Molodykh said she drew inspiration from classic pre-war Kyiv apartments, the chic of French interiors and the retro mood of Milan.

The space is adorned with classic parquet floors, plaster moldings, tall doors, custom-made furniture, exquisite French textiles, as well as vintage and designer pieces from renowned brands.

“It is decorated with masterpieces by Ukrainian art classics, custom-made furniture, exquisite French textiles, as well as vintage and designer pieces from renowned brands,” Molodykh said.

The main attraction in each room is a carefully curated collection of Ukrainian art, including work from Anatoliy Kryvolap, Marfa Tymchenko, Oleksandr Babak and Maria Prymachenko.

“Above the sofa hangs a painting by the Ukrainian folk artist in the naïve art genre, Maria Prymachenko,” said Molodykh. “Her pieces are an outstanding example of naïve art and have left a deep impact on the development of Ukrainian culture, inspiring contemporary artists and collectors around the world.”

In the living room, a large Murano glass chandelier is installed above the “Standard” sofa, instead of a TV screen, as originally planned, and a small arched kitchen that is made from walnut veneer and quartzite is hidden behind floating panels.

The ceilings and floors are decorated with Versailles modular parquet made of walnut and painted with French Argile paint.

In the son’s room, Molodykh said she discovered a wardrobe on the Lviv-based online platform Repluse Star, which specializes in finding and restoring historical pieces.

It became both a functional storage solution and a piece of art in the room, where there is also a small custom sofa-bed covered in cherry veneer.

The master bedroom is richly decorated with custom natural textiles from the French house La Maison Pierre Frey and various antique furniture, while a walk-in closet features handcrafted brass frog-shaped handles embellished on the doors.

From the living area with custom-made wooden furniture and glass lamps to a small corridor with carefully curated details such as lush decorative plants, bronze candelabras and cozy couches, Molodykh said Landscape Alley becomes an art piece in its own right rather than just a living area.

“The clients fully trusted the designer with the design, granting her complete creative freedom.”

Based in Kyiv, Ukraine, Molodykh says she cares about creating functional, yet meaningful spaces where every detail speaks to the owner’s personality.

“We have a deep understanding of the power of materials and the unique expression they can bring to a space,” Molodykh told Interior Design.