Located in Istanbul’s beloved Cihangir neighborhood, this apartment was carefully renovated by Quark to preserve the atmosphere and ornate aesthetic of a remarkable historic space. With its variety and balance of material textures, customized lighting, and modern furniture, this project showcases Quark’s creative approach to harmonizing historical preservation with all the comforts of a contemporary home.

From a design perspective, Quark approached this project with immense respect for reviving the building’s classical grandeur and a creative, open attitude towards implementing subtle, stately updates that will serve the needs of both current and future inhabitants. The sheer scale of this project was one of its greatest challenges and opportunities: Quark’s experienced team was responsible for replacing architectural elements from flooring to lighting fixtures, from plumbing and electrical infrastructure to decorative trim and finishings. In keeping with the building and neighborhood’s lively and welcoming atmosphere, warm colors and hand-picked decorative accents were chosen for the design palette of this residential space. All original interior finishes and accents, including doors, windows, cornices, and the parquet flooring were either kept or replaced in keeping with the building’s design dated to the beginning of the 20th century.

At the same time, Quark was tasked not only with replacement and refurbishment of original elements of the apartment’s unique look and feel, but also with implementing new and fully modern systems, such as heating and cooling. This mission to fully update the apartment extended to the problem of an extremely poorly-lit room, which was consequently unused by the family. Through careful dialogue, research and creative iteration, Quark renovated this room into a cheerful sunny space with the use of high-contrast materials and two additional French windows that are fully indistinguishable from the building’s original openings.