A contemporary home with a design inspired by the five elements
Discover the interior design of this contemporary home, The Fifth Element, featuring wood, stone, bronze, and natural light
This huge contemporary home embodies a clear vision of 21st-century living. Its owners, a young, active couple passionate about travel, entrusted the project to designer Ekaterina Yakovenko, founder of the JP Interiors studio. The result bears the evocative name, The Fifth Element, and tells a story of balance between minimalism and comfort.
The clients wanted a space bathed in light, featuring soft tones to create a calm atmosphere. This requirement guided every design choice in the home. The large floor-to-ceiling windows blur the boundary between the interior and the garden. They allow natural light to flood into the spaces. In the evening, soft artificial lighting takes over to prolong this sense of serenity. Ekaterina Yakovenko paid particular attention to the quality of the lighting.
The central idea behind the design is based on the philosophy of the five elements. Earth is expressed through wood and stone. Water is reflected in the fluid lines and subtle bluish tones. Fire is expressed through the light sources. Air is represented by the sensation of openness and lightness. Finally, ether manifests itself in the overall harmony of the home.
This framework avoids the pitfall found in some large homes, where rooms sometimes seem disconnected from one another. This unifying theme runs from the entryway through the living room and kitchen all the way to the bedrooms.
White, beige, light brown, and bronze make up the main palette. These soft, neutral tones create a cozy atmosphere. The color scheme is understated, yet never bland. Natural materials add the depth that colors alone would not be enough to create.
This design approach avoids the coldness sometimes associated with large, minimalist spaces. The warm tones of wood and bronze immediately bring warmth to the entire space, even in the most expansive areas like the 190sqm living room. It is immense yet remains welcoming thanks to these colors.
The living room floor is marble, while the fireplace is clad in natural stone. This hearth, a symbol of warmth and togetherness, takes center stage in the living area. The kitchen, designed by Key Cucina, features a metallic bronze finish.
Beige Titanium travertine adorns the tables in the entryway and the dresser in the master bedroom. The oak fronts of this same dresser are also crafted from high-quality material. Brass accents, with a burnished titanium finish, elegantly complement the overall design.
In the guest bedroom on the ground floor, a decorative stucco panel was custom-made based on the designer’s sketches.
The furniture selection is cohesive and of high quality. In the living room, the seating is by Henge. It complements a round Poltrona Frau chaise longue in natural leather, placed in front of the fireplace.
Entryway features an Emmemobili dresser, paired with the Edamame bench by B&B Italia and a Murano glass light fixture by Henge. The dining room features a Cattelan Italia table and Maxalto chairs, under an Emmemobili pendant light.
The master bedroom is furnished with a bed, nightstands, a bench, and a Poltrona Frau armchair. A Turri side table and Aromas del Campo lamps enhance the ensemble. The textiles are from Sahco.
The ground floor also features a space where a custom-built desk sits alongside a Poltrona Frau armchair and a Turri coffee table. The solid wood flooring by CP Parquet adds warmth to the space, while a wooden wall, built according to the designer’s sketches. Its wooden wall, built according to the designer's sketches, stands out.
Here, the office is a living space in its own right, designed with the same aesthetic standards as the living room or the bedrooms.
The home also features an indoor pool overlooking the garden through a large floor-to-ceiling window. It is accompanied by a sauna and a steam room. A home automation system controls all the amenities, ensuring everyday comfort down to the smallest detail.
On the upper floor you find five bedrooms, including two master suites, two children’s bedrooms, and a guest room. The first bedroom stands out for its stucco wall, crafted according to the designer’s sketches, which adds a delicate texture above the headboard.
Another bedroom on the same level features a headboard, also crafted from stucco, that echoes the decorative style found throughout the house. The staircase leading to the upper floor is adorned with a textile panel by Henge, which softens the atmosphere.
The master bathroom features clean, minimalist lines. The Cielo bathtub takes center stage, facing a huge floor-to-ceiling window that opens onto the trees in the garden. Natural stone covers the walls and floor, echoing the rest of the house.
The house opens onto a 150sqm terrace, equipped with a barbecue area and an outdoor lounge. The superb, mature garden is designed in a Japanese-inspired style. It features numerous pruned pine trees and mineral arrangements. A sculpture titled *The Fifth Element*, by Fedor and Polina Abramov, pays homage to the home’s concept even within the landscape. This dialogue between architecture, interior design, and landscape is one of the project’s greatest achievements.
It’s not often that we have the opportunity to admire such residences, and ones so well thought out. The designer has successfully maintained a clear thematic thread, from the concept of the five elements right down to the selection of each light fixture. The result avoids the pitfall of cold minimalism, a criticism often leveled at vast contemporary spaces. It is a masterful and harmonious creation, and while homes of this type are sometimes criticized for being cold, that is certainly not the case here.
This focus on natural light and raw materials aligns with current trends. Architects today are increasingly incorporating large floor-to-ceiling windows and bioclimatic extensions to capture as much light as possible. The palette of neutral tones, combined with wood and stone, also reflects current trends, where natural elements take precedence over ostentation.
The Fifth Element exemplifies an approach to interior design where every choice serves an overarching vision. Light, materials, and furniture come together to create a cohesive atmosphere, far from anything flashy. Styling: Natalia Onufreichuk. Photo: Sergey Krasyuk
A clear request for a soothing atmosphere
The clients wanted a space bathed in light, featuring soft tones to create a calm atmosphere. This requirement guided every design choice in the home. The large floor-to-ceiling windows blur the boundary between the interior and the garden. They allow natural light to flood into the spaces. In the evening, soft artificial lighting takes over to prolong this sense of serenity. Ekaterina Yakovenko paid particular attention to the quality of the lighting.
The concept of the five elements, the project’s guiding thread
The central idea behind the design is based on the philosophy of the five elements. Earth is expressed through wood and stone. Water is reflected in the fluid lines and subtle bluish tones. Fire is expressed through the light sources. Air is represented by the sensation of openness and lightness. Finally, ether manifests itself in the overall harmony of the home.
This framework avoids the pitfall found in some large homes, where rooms sometimes seem disconnected from one another. This unifying theme runs from the entryway through the living room and kitchen all the way to the bedrooms.
A soft, timeless color palette
White, beige, light brown, and bronze make up the main palette. These soft, neutral tones create a cozy atmosphere. The color scheme is understated, yet never bland. Natural materials add the depth that colors alone would not be enough to create.
This design approach avoids the coldness sometimes associated with large, minimalist spaces. The warm tones of wood and bronze immediately bring warmth to the entire space, even in the most expansive areas like the 190sqm living room. It is immense yet remains welcoming thanks to these colors.
Premium materials for every living space
The living room floor is marble, while the fireplace is clad in natural stone. This hearth, a symbol of warmth and togetherness, takes center stage in the living area. The kitchen, designed by Key Cucina, features a metallic bronze finish.
Beige Titanium travertine adorns the tables in the entryway and the dresser in the master bedroom. The oak fronts of this same dresser are also crafted from high-quality material. Brass accents, with a burnished titanium finish, elegantly complement the overall design.
In the guest bedroom on the ground floor, a decorative stucco panel was custom-made based on the designer’s sketches.
Designer furniture throughout the house
The furniture selection is cohesive and of high quality. In the living room, the seating is by Henge. It complements a round Poltrona Frau chaise longue in natural leather, placed in front of the fireplace.
Entryway features an Emmemobili dresser, paired with the Edamame bench by B&B Italia and a Murano glass light fixture by Henge. The dining room features a Cattelan Italia table and Maxalto chairs, under an Emmemobili pendant light.
The master bedroom is furnished with a bed, nightstands, a bench, and a Poltrona Frau armchair. A Turri side table and Aromas del Campo lamps enhance the ensemble. The textiles are from Sahco.
A study and thoughtfully integrated service areas
The ground floor also features a space where a custom-built desk sits alongside a Poltrona Frau armchair and a Turri coffee table. The solid wood flooring by CP Parquet adds warmth to the space, while a wooden wall, built according to the designer’s sketches. Its wooden wall, built according to the designer's sketches, stands out.
Here, the office is a living space in its own right, designed with the same aesthetic standards as the living room or the bedrooms.
The home also features an indoor pool overlooking the garden through a large floor-to-ceiling window. It is accompanied by a sauna and a steam room. A home automation system controls all the amenities, ensuring everyday comfort down to the smallest detail.
The bedrooms, a balance of simplicity and refinement
On the upper floor you find five bedrooms, including two master suites, two children’s bedrooms, and a guest room. The first bedroom stands out for its stucco wall, crafted according to the designer’s sketches, which adds a delicate texture above the headboard.
Another bedroom on the same level features a headboard, also crafted from stucco, that echoes the decorative style found throughout the house. The staircase leading to the upper floor is adorned with a textile panel by Henge, which softens the atmosphere.
A bathroom designed as a space for well-being
The master bathroom features clean, minimalist lines. The Cielo bathtub takes center stage, facing a huge floor-to-ceiling window that opens onto the trees in the garden. Natural stone covers the walls and floor, echoing the rest of the house.
A terrace and garden as a natural extension
The house opens onto a 150sqm terrace, equipped with a barbecue area and an outdoor lounge. The superb, mature garden is designed in a Japanese-inspired style. It features numerous pruned pine trees and mineral arrangements. A sculpture titled *The Fifth Element*, by Fedor and Polina Abramov, pays homage to the home’s concept even within the landscape. This dialogue between architecture, interior design, and landscape is one of the project’s greatest achievements.
Our take on this immense contemporary home
It’s not often that we have the opportunity to admire such residences, and ones so well thought out. The designer has successfully maintained a clear thematic thread, from the concept of the five elements right down to the selection of each light fixture. The result avoids the pitfall of cold minimalism, a criticism often leveled at vast contemporary spaces. It is a masterful and harmonious creation, and while homes of this type are sometimes criticized for being cold, that is certainly not the case here.
An inspiring example for residential design
This focus on natural light and raw materials aligns with current trends. Architects today are increasingly incorporating large floor-to-ceiling windows and bioclimatic extensions to capture as much light as possible. The palette of neutral tones, combined with wood and stone, also reflects current trends, where natural elements take precedence over ostentation.
The Fifth Element exemplifies an approach to interior design where every choice serves an overarching vision. Light, materials, and furniture come together to create a cohesive atmosphere, far from anything flashy. Styling: Natalia Onufreichuk. Photo: Sergey Krasyuk
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