Stylish Renovated Apartment

WORDS Amelia Brown

What better way to complement the bustle of Istanbul, as seen from above, with views of the beautiful Bosphorus, than with a calm backdrop? At least that’s what the interior architects behind Ofist had in mind.

Forty years ago, a penthouse extension was added to a century-old historical building right in the bustling district of Beyoglu in Istanbul that lacked the traces of the area’s history. Picture low ceilings, a standard layout, layers of careless work, but with a great view of Bosphorus and the old city.

It’s since been rescued, renovated and redeemed by interior architects Yasemin Arpac and Sabahattin Emir, founders of Ofist. “Our main objective was to create a light, open, fresh, bright space with a pleasing, cosy touch,” the design duo explained. Oak parquet and white painted wooden lath ceilings are seen all through the house and iron-framed windows provide a less obstructed view.

The home now consists of two bedrooms, each en-suite, a sizeable living room with an open kitchen and a rooftop terrace with a magnificent view. Highlights include the entrance area wall’s floor-to-ceiling bookshelves; the metal spiral staircase, pierced with small leaf shapes, which climbs to the rooftop terrace and acts as a catwalk to reach the upper shelves of the library; and the sliding iron-and-glass doors in the master bedroom’s dressing room, bathroom and bedroom, which can divide the rooms or disappear within the walls when opened.

See more of Ofist’s projects at ofist.com.