Alexandrine Lukach thought she’d only be away from her hometown of Kyiv for a week. To visit her grown children, who were studying in the Swiss city of Lugano along the border of Italy, she had rented an apartment to accommodate her family of five. Soon after arriving, the pandemic set in. Two months into lockdown with no end in sight, Alexandrine realized the bare-bones, 1,076-square-foot space would need an update if they were going to stay.

As proponents of ethical consumption, Alexandrine’s kids asked that she only buy things at flea markets and vintage shops that would benefit charitable causes. Alexandrine, who runs Intemporary Design Studio in Kyiv, was no stranger to this approach. “Even before it became mainstream, I loved going to flea markets, like the legendary flea on Kurenevka and the picturesque, immense Petrovka,” she says. “It was the only place where one could see and touch the remains of pre-revolutionary treasures from the ’80s.”

Alexandrine tackled the study first, seeking an old-fashioned table that would act as a grounding element in the light and airy space. “That feeling is important when you don’t know what is going to happen next,” she reasons. “If I decorated the same space now, I would look for a more modern, lighter piece.” Indeed, the heavy wooden table is perhaps the only traditional piece in the apartment, which is otherwise filled with collectible furniture and lighting that spans from the 1950s through the 1980s.

Olga Fradina’s “Portrait in Gray and Yellow Shades,” a vintage still life; a 1920s sketch of a seated figure; and a wire sculpture by Swiss artist Pierre Grumbacher, who lives next door. “His sculptures are very graceful and emphasize the airy atmosphere of the interior,” Alexandrine says." layout="" credit="Photo by Filippo Bamberghi" photoUserId="6133451184364355584"/>

Because the terms of the lease prohibited altering the unit in any way, Alexandrine had to work with the existing white walls and consider ways to temper the busy wood floors. In response, she generated a graphic palette of black, white, and wood tones. Marcel Breuer’s Cesca chairs with ebonized frames and natural cane were top of mind; by pure luck, the designer came across a set of eight. She also found a solid-wood dining table that was so heavy, she and her family struggled carrying it back to the apartment.

To infuse depth and sensuality into the space, Alexandrine incorporated textural fabrics, some of which made their way over in her suitcase. “I have a large collection of homespun textiles,” she says. “I knew carpets and pillows made of Carpathian sheep wool would be of great use in a student apartment for providing comfort and warmth.” She also used sustainable hemp “fur” by DevoHome to upholster a pair of 1950s lounge chairs she found at the Lugano flea market. “I sewed them myself,” Alexandrine says, noting how she drew on skills from her student days. “I am very proud of it!”

This was not the only DIY endeavor. Alexandrine and her children used vintage fabrics to create draperies that adorn the apartment: Swirly, agate-patterned draperies made from Pierre Frey fabric create a nuanced backdrop in the study; more fabric from Frey with a vine pattern add character to the kitchen; and frenetic, zigzag-y draperies made from fabric found at the flea market in the Navigli district of Milan hang in the second bedroom.

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The crew also learned how to stretch a canvas. When Alexandrine tried—and failed—to frame a large, abstract painting by Alexandra Gromova that had arrived in a mailing tube, the artist, who is also the designer’s close friend, gave the family an online master class. One of Gromova’s tips? In order to stretch a canvas well, it has to be wet. “It was an interesting family time,” Alexandrine reflects. “We worked together mastering new skills, and enjoyed the experience.”

Artwork was key in transforming the no-frills unit into what is now a deeply personal home away from home. “Art brought in a lot of emotions,” Alexandrine says. Alexandra Gromova’s abstract piece is the focal point of the living space, but it is the many graphic prints by artist/designer Olga Fradina that punch up the other rooms. “Ukrainian art created a kind of crystalline grid that held the whole interior together,” Alexandrine explains.

from the 1980s in the primary bedroom." layout="" credit="Photo by Filippo Bamberghi" photoUserId="6133451184364355584"/>

And while it’s typical for Alexandrine to flesh out her client’s projects with vintage pieces, her own family’s rental in Lugano incorporates far more. She marvels over how quickly she managed to find what she needed in local flea markets and antique shops. Still a little bit in awe of the feat, she says, “When everything was done, it felt like it had always been this way!”

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Project Credits:

Interior Design: Intemporary Design Studio / @intemporary.design.studio

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Midcentury and ’80s Finds Transform a Rental in Switzerland Into a Fabulous Family Home