Owner: Norba
Interior design: Litvinenko Design
Furnishings: Custom made on design by the architects; Molo, Warm Nordic, Boomerang
Photo credits: courtesy of Norba
Can an innovative design exist in a historic setting without clashing with it? The Litvinenko Design says that it can. And they prove it in their design for the Norba showroom in the historic center of Kiev. Every element was meticulously considered to evoke a sense of harmony and balance between two “opposing forces.”
The majestic proportions of a former stock market building, its grandiose ceiling decorated with moldings, its large windows inundating the space with natural light, cast iron railings, and original parquet – all meticulously conserved and restored to its former luster – converse with a marked minimalism evoking Japanese and Scandinavian culture. All is infused with warmth and personality, inviting visitors to explore and contemplate through an essential quality in keeping with the clothing brand’s style.
Most of the furnishings here were custom-made to the designs of Litvinenko Design, such as the decorative cone-shaped lamp and the Formakami paper lamp, and the quartz stone counter in the main room. There are a few insertions from furnishing brands like the spectacular recycled paper and plastic partition by the Australian brand Molo, which form the changing rooms, a coffee table by the Danish brand Warm Nordic, and a Boomerang chair. Shopping becomes an easy sensory experience amidst the squeak of the parquet floor, the rustle of fabric hanging from slender structures attached to the ceiling, and the warm light, which instills a sense of quiet.
