Houzz Tour: Eclectic Tel-Aviv Home Shows Creativity
An interior designer in Israel turns her first owned apartment into an expressive, personal home filled with collected treasures
When everyone else disregarded a building stuck in the middle of apple orchards and a senior community, interior designer Merav Sade saw a space with loads of potential. The designer was particularly attracted to the apartment's two-floor layout and rooftop terrace. The home is 20 years in the making, its interiors a collection of vintage finds and treasured pieces that she acquired while renting her previous homes.
"I've always dreamed of having my own master suite, away from the kids. And now I have that and so much more," says Sade.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Merav Sade and 2 teenagers
Location: Tel-Aviv, Israel
Size: 1,291 square feet
Design challenge: Converting what used to be a small office and a narrow bath on the upper floor into a spacious, light-filled master suite
"I've always dreamed of having my own master suite, away from the kids. And now I have that and so much more," says Sade.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Merav Sade and 2 teenagers
Location: Tel-Aviv, Israel
Size: 1,291 square feet
Design challenge: Converting what used to be a small office and a narrow bath on the upper floor into a spacious, light-filled master suite
Sade restored the original windows with the help of a contractor patient enough to discover the original arch that had been reshaped into rectangular frames by developers.
Accent wall paint: Rediscover, Nirlat
Accent wall paint: Rediscover, Nirlat
Unadorned windows help keep the living room and kitchen cheerful and bright, enlarging the spaces and maximizing the sunlight coming in from the south-facing windows.
A blue roller chair that was previously in Sade's home office now has a permanent home at the dining table, where a bit of work is done as well. "I couldn't find bar stools that I liked, so I just took the office chairs out to the table for a while and found out that they're actually the perfect height for the table — and they're incredibly comfortable. So I bought three more," says Sade.
Vintage pendants from Sade's grandmother — "probably from Russia," she says — make for luxurious task lighting in the functional space.
Cabinet paint: Abstract Idea, Nirlat; crystal light pendants: vintage
A blue roller chair that was previously in Sade's home office now has a permanent home at the dining table, where a bit of work is done as well. "I couldn't find bar stools that I liked, so I just took the office chairs out to the table for a while and found out that they're actually the perfect height for the table — and they're incredibly comfortable. So I bought three more," says Sade.
Vintage pendants from Sade's grandmother — "probably from Russia," she says — make for luxurious task lighting in the functional space.
Cabinet paint: Abstract Idea, Nirlat; crystal light pendants: vintage
Ceramic tiles give the kitchen floor a colorful, geometric punch. An unfinished century-old door stands guard in the background, a reminder to Sade that everything ages. "Shouldn't we all get old with grace? Let's not try to delay or change the inevitable," she says.
Floor tiles: Fabrizio, Oraitaliana
Floor tiles: Fabrizio, Oraitaliana
Exposed shelving with citrine, chinoiserie-inspired backs boost the cheer factor of the sun-drenched space.
Sade, a master of many trades, created the self-portraits hanging above her bed. She salvaged the bedside lamps from an elderly neighbor's basement and repaired them.
The casual, eclectic design of the bedroom is an extension of Sade's design ethos: She swears by design that is simple, functional and cozy.
Case in point: Maple bedside tables and a matching headboard extend the designer's penchant for clean-lined furnishings. Color splashes come by way of an indigo vase, floral petals and wall paint.
Case in point: Maple bedside tables and a matching headboard extend the designer's penchant for clean-lined furnishings. Color splashes come by way of an indigo vase, floral petals and wall paint.
Sade created an opening from her bedroom to the outdoor terrace. "Before I created the opening from my bedroom, you could only get to the terrace from the first floor. Now I have this incredible rooftop terrace that's accessible from my room and from a separate staircase downstairs," says Sade.
Here's a view of the antique doors from the terrace picnic table.
Four vases with cut branches occupy the sill above the toilet in the bathroom. They bring nature indoors and add curves and femininity to a markedly spare space, which has an industrial feel that's heightened by the rough texture of plastered walls.
Sade used a simple kitchen sink in her teen daughter's bathroom. "I bought the sink for the equivalent of $20. My daughter loves it because it's deep, which is great for splashing water when washing your face and hand-washing delicates," says Sade.
Sade converted what used to be a small service balcony into her daughter's bedroom. The message hanging on the wall is an upcycled project by Sade, who found the wood plank on the street and gave it new life.
This key rack keeps good-luck charms and protective totems for the family; it's also a reminder of how far Sade has come since her design school days. "I used to dabble in woodworking to make some extra money," she says. "I'm glad that I didn't get rid of everything, because it makes my life today all the more sweet."
Cobbler's shoe forms: Vintage Mania