TLV APARTMENT

Cats are key to our story.

They are inseparable from the apartment’s design and form a significant planning element.

The furniture, walls, and carpentry were all designed with the cats in mind - how they partake in the space and interact with it.

The apartment is a standard one (70 m3 meters), but was redesigned and planned to best suit the needs of its occupants.

The goal was to create a single, wide-open space.

The kitchen was defined as a core element, the heart  of the home. It comprises tall black cabinets, including wooden display units which feature the tenants’ collection. A 4.7-meter long work island includes all the functions necessary to operate the kitchen. The island has an oak finish a grey porcelain countertop. These materials set the tone and form a connective design element to the entire apartment. The location of the island allows for control over, and eye contact with, every space and area in the apartment.

To emphasize the sense of space and blur the distinction between private and public areas, the bedroom was designed with a system of transparent, wood-framed sliding doors. The transparency creates direct continuity with the central area, and a sense of a larger, more expansive space.

The wall goes on to become wood-paneled, with shelf units used by the cats for play and moving from one part of the apartment to another.  This wall gives the cats access to the top of the kitchen cabinet, from which they can also climb down on the other side.

The main bathroom is located behind a closet wall in the bedroom and a hidden door - all painted deep blue-green. Together they form as a clean-cut, uniform front, which casts a color spot onto the central space.

A study is located at the end of the apartment, and is enclosed and separated from the rest of the space. This partition allows for privacy and separation, enabling the occupants to concentrate on their work; the furniture planning and design enables the cats to take an active part in this area as well.

A bookcase that serves for storage and display was designed; it includes a catwalk that connects to a top beam, from which the cats can reach the other end of the room.

The bookcase also includes a secret passage for the cats.

The few materials and shades carefully selected for the design result in a sense of cleanliness; emphasis was placed on straight, clear lines and on functionality for its occupants.

The apartment tells their story, what they stand for and love.

Photography by Gidon Levin