Gentle lighting, rounded varieties and impartial colors create a welcoming environment inside this intercourse store in Kyiv by Ukrainian designers Sofiia Hupalovska and Nataliya Stukonog, with playful particulars together with a phallic pouf.
Hupalovska and Stukonog, who labored collectively at structure and interiors studio Balbek Bureau earlier than Hupalovska arrange her personal agency in 2021, wished to create an inclusive and enticing inside that stands other than the gaudy type of most grownup shops.
“The idea behind Inside was to create a intercourse store expertise that defies the everyday, cliche aesthetics related to such areas,” Hupalovska defined.
“As a substitute of the same old neon lights and stereotypical symbols like strawberries, Inside was designed to supply a refined, subtle atmosphere.”
To attain this goal, the designers used a muted palette comprising shades of cream and gray that permit the merchandise to face out.
Metallic finishes assist to brighten the area by reflecting mild whereas contributing to the fashionable aesthetic. These surfaces, primarily used for wall panelling and accents, additionally distinction with softer particulars comparable to curtains and upholstered furnishings.
The store is about in a basement with none pure mild, so the designers determined to include a backlit ceiling panel that gives a comfortable, even glow much like daylight.
Guests are welcomed by a reception desk, positioned in entrance of a metallic backdrop to create a brilliant and welcoming area with a semi-private really feel.
Within the reception space, a curvaceous couch is adorned with the stylised define of a feminine physique. Right here, clients can chill out whereas searching merchandise or awaiting help.
The principle retail area supplies a easy and impartial setting for presenting merchandise on built-in cabinets. A central counter with rounded edges supplies a floor for workers to help clients with product enquiries.
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“The comfortable edges of the counter cut back visible harshness, selling a sense of approachability,” stated Hupalovska.
“Its central location would possibly encourage a movement of motion across the area, guiding guests naturally towards varied sections and product shows.”
The cabinets have been designed to fight one other difficulty arising from the shop’s basement setting. The present partitions lacked straight surfaces, making it sophisticated to put in standalone shelving items, so built-in storage supplied a sensible and extra streamlined resolution.
The built-in cabinets contribute to the clean-lined look of the inside, with curved edges on the higher niches mirroring the contours used all through the area.
The store’s furnishings and fixtures have been principally custom-made by Ukrainian contractors, with many items designed utilizing rounded, natural shapes. Examples embody a playful pouf within the becoming room that resembles a penis.
The becoming room additionally options curtains that may be drawn for privateness and a curving mild wall that gives uniform lighting for patrons attempting on objects.
A sink in the primary show space was designed as a monolithic component with a concrete end that enhances the store’s uncooked, industrial theme, alongside the uncovered pipes and ducting.
Total, the store’s inside seeks to steadiness performance and a minimalist aesthetic with softer touches to contribute to a discreet and fulfilling purchasing expertise.
“The area strikes a steadiness between sophistication and playfulness, achieved by way of fastidiously chosen supplies, colors and shapes that really feel luxurious but accessible,” Hupalovska stated.
Throughout her time at Kyiv-based Balbek Bureau, Hupalovska labored on initiatives together with an inside for a gender-neutral salon and cocktail bar with concrete surfaces and gold accents.
Different initiatives from the studio embody a contemporary restaurant that includes traditional Ukrainian varieties and a home that reinterprets the standard log cabin utilizing chrome steel and concrete.
The pictures is by Yevhenii Avramenko.
