In the heart of Almaty, Kazakhstan, within a contemporary residential building whose brick façade quietly nods to classical architectural heritage, interior designer Fariz Mamedov, founder of FM interiors, has imagined a home that reads almost like a piece of music. Not a static composition, but one capable of shifting tone and tempo as life unfolds inside it. Designed for a family of five whose lives revolve around art, theatre, travel, and curiosity, the 150 square metre apartment unfolds as a subtle dialogue between color, memory, and personality.
“I often associate people with colors,” Mamedov reflects. “When I met this couple, the shade that immediately appeared in my mind was a delicate sage, almost a light olive. Calm, elegant, but also complex.” That tone, applied through soft layers of paint by Jotun, became the quiet thread linking the entire interior.
From there, the palette deepens and evolves. Soft reds suggest courage and movement, deep blues evoke reflection, while sunny yellows animate the children’s rooms with a sense of joy and possibility. In the parents’ bedroom, pastel hues merge with wine tones beneath wallpaper by Fresq, creating an atmosphere that feels both intimate and composed.
Materiality plays an equally important role. French herringbone parquet by Barlinek grounds the apartment in warmth, while natural fabrics, woven rattan, wood, metal, ceramics, and wool add layers of tactile richness throughout. In the kitchen, cabinetry by Aster Cucine is paired with a sink and faucet by Blanco, while a pendant light by Mogg floats above the island like a sculptural punctuation mark.
Across the living spaces, design history subtly appears through chosen objects: a chandelier by Louis Poulsen above the dining table by Midj, chairs by Gubi and Fritz Hansen, and candleholders by both Georg Jensen and Zaha Hadid Design. In the living room, a generously proportioned sofa by Saba Italia anchors the space beside pieces by HAY and Delo.
One of the project’s defining gestures emerged from necessity. Because Almaty lies in a seismic zone, the structure contains numerous beams and columns. Rather than conceal them, Mamedov transformed them into mirrored vertical accents that gently divide the living area into distinct yet connected islands. “Instead of fighting the architecture,” he explains, “I wanted to turn those technical elements into part of the narrative.”
Elsewhere, wallpapers by Caselio, textiles from Misia Paris, Camengo, and Pierre Frey, ceramics from Serax, and objects by Ferm Living and &Tradition appear like notes in an orchestrated composition.
The result is an interior that quietly bridges geographies and sensibilities. Parisian softness meets Italian warmth, while contemporary Kazakh art grounds the home in its cultural landscape. As Mamedov puts it, “In the end, the atmosphere became slightly romantic, almost as if Paris met the southern sun and the Kazakh soul.”
