Dive into Pierre Yovanovitch’s approach to this home, using modern decor elements inspired by contemporary art and the client’s lifestyle.

Pierre Yovanovitch said that there is an almost Venetian feel to this home in Bosphorus, Istanbul, due to the way it “sits” on water, the way the light reflects the water into the walls, to the way the windows give up a spectacular view of the city.

Yovanovitch came to appreciate the city more on his first visit to this house, which he arrived at using a boat, to which he admitted that he really loved cities where you can get around using these types of transportation.

The Bosphorus is not tidal, so the water level is always very near the level of the garden, making it feel a bit like an agitated lake. It is always very busy with both local traffic and large cargo vessels transiting between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It is a mesmerizing view.”

-Pierre Yovanovitch

The client, a young bachelor whose parents live nearby, had this house built for him on the site of a 1960s apartment building, and wanted something modern that would fit in with his neighbours’ homes.

Yovanovitch’s job was only to create a contemporary, lively space that would use modern decor to fit into his client’s youthful lifestyle, with lots of room for house parties and inviting his friends over, but that would transition into a family home as he grew older.

Starting off with the living room, Yovanovitch chose to use neutral colors as the main color palette, paired with the modern decor elements we can see here, namely the sleek, minimalist decor, paired with contemporary art pieces, such as the sculptures and the large paintings.

Along with the simple stylistic choice that was picked, the warmer colors in the rug and sofa make this room feel extremely comforting and welcoming, ready to invite Yovanivitch’s clients’ friends and family to come over, relax, and socialize a bit in this serene environment.

Upon further analysis of this living room’s usage of modern decor, you can see that Yovanovitch’s choice in colors was done purposely to impact the client and his guest, while not being very “attention-seeking”, which makes this room that much more sleek.

The dining room follows the same modern decor philosophy we saw in the living room, although it chooses to display earthier tones instead of the typical neutral ones, choosing to make the room a bit more lively with deep blue cushioned chairs.

The dining table has a pretty irregular, yet smooth and simple shape, which gives the room a lot more personality, without having to sacrifice comfort or the warm, welcoming feeling that Yovanovitch is going for.

Moving on into the office, Yovavovitch chose to maintain the neutral colors that are one of the pillars of the modern decor style he is going for, but he also decided to include a few more sophisticated pieces in order to make this room feel more formal and classical.

The choice to include refined, brown chairs to match the table, the floor, and the painting makes for an excellent contrast with the smooth beige rug, which provides further warmth and comfort to the room.

It truly is meant to go beyond being an average workspace, aiming to also be a room where the client can relax and gaze upon the city and the sea, or into the beautiful pieces of modern decor that surround the room.

Now in the primary bedroom, the main theme remains at modern decor, going deeper into a minimalist style, as we can see through the usage of a round, minimalist rug, paired with smooth-shaped furniture and earthy tones.

As it’s meant to be a place to rest and relax, comfort was one of Yovanovitch’s main focuses in this room, as we can tell through all of the elements he chose, but also somewhere practical and modern, where there isn’t a lot of furniture to get in your way.

Art is also something Yovanovitch wanted to include all over the house, whether it’s via the usage of paintings, sculptures, and other pieces of decor, since the client and his family are big art collectors.

Even by the pool, the influence of modern decor can be seen through the usage of soft, neutral colors and smooth shapes, but a hint of luxury can also be sensed due to the endearing presence of the silver statue.

In the client’s words, the home is a “livable art gallery,” which means that Yovanovitch’s efforts with modern decor paid off, and this home managed to become the cozy, welcoming, yet lively house it was destined to.

If you feel inspired by Yovanovitch’s work in this Istanbulite home and want to try using modern decor in your own home, make sure to see our collection at HOMMÉS Studio.