A Home for Elsa

To be honest, I wasn't ready to go to a designer right away. I’d already had an experience like that before: beautiful renderings and blueprints, but making them a reality within a reasonable budget was simply impossible. 'Pretty much any design school graduate can draw a beautiful interior. But knowing where to order materials, how to save money without sacrificing quality, who will manage the contractors, and who can explain to them step-by-step how to actually build what was drawn — that requires someone with real-world project management experience. And that is honestly THE HARDEST PART — it's a completely different level of professionalism.' That’s why when I saw Katya’s work, knowing the experiences of both my friends and myself, I was highly skeptical.

Spoiler alert: it was a pleasure to be proven wrong.

The reason was that we originally decided to give our daughter a smaller room. But then I realized that when we are at home, we actually spend most of our time together—and the same thing happened with the bathroom. Every single time, Katya welcomed these changes with complete understanding, without the slightest hint of irritation. It’s so important to note: renovation is an incredibly stressful period in anyone's life. But when you work with such an experienced, highly balanced, and easygoing professional and her team of mega-experts, you realize there are no obstacles. Any challenge can be solved smoothly and simply, relying on the flawless experience of a reliable partner.

Now, when you open those double doors into the kids' room, it feels like stepping into a fairy tale. The lower level is dedicated to play and study, while upstairs features a cozy sleeping nook complete with a vanity table. The massive amount of toy storage is designed so beautifully that toys never clutter the rest of the apartment—everything has its own niche, seamlessly integrated into a truly magical space for our little princess. I was so afraid of getting a functional but soulless interior like you see in many homes; I didn't want a cold, clinical feel. I wanted a fairy tale—and we got it in full.

I felt like from the very moment she stepped into our apartment, she took me by the hand and guided me through all the twists and turns of the renovation, just like a caring parent. She always knew exactly what questions to ask and how to perfectly package all of our family’s needs. She anticipated our wishes and questions before we even asked them, always providing a ready solution.

When it came to the inevitable problems during construction—such as shipping delays or hold-ups with third-party contractors—she handled them immediately, and we only found out about them after the fact. She never stresses you out over minor details or just creates the illusion of being busy; she simply solves the problems and protects you from the headaches of complex negotiations.

They handled all negotiations with every single contractor and sub-contractor, resolving every issue that came up. I didn’t have to act as a project manager. I was a working mom who simply approved the finer details over the phone or in brief meetings once every few weeks.

To be honest, managing a construction project full-time when you have a job and children is absolutely impossible. I didn’t want to take attention away from my child, my husband, or my work—and waiting around for free time to magically appear is just unrealistic. That’s why we are so happy we found Katerina and Yuri, and that we were able to trust them and delegate this heavy, confusing renovation process. Figuring all of this out on our own, thinking through how we live and what our individual lifestyle requires, designing everything down to the smallest detail, and executing it exactly as planned—I realize now that doing it yourself is just not feasible. We already had an experience before where everything was drawn beautifully, but we just couldn't make it a reality.

With Katya and Yuri, it’s a whole different level. It’s not just a 'beautiful rendering.' These are real-world solutions that actually work for us now, instead of just remaining as dreams on a screen.

But the unique design of our apartment caught buyers' attention immediately. Within the very first week, we received multiple offers, and three potential buyers actually started a bidding war. That’s when we realized we had undervalued our property. The family who eventually bought it found me on social media and wrote a personal message, sharing how much they loved the apartment and why it was perfect for their family. They made a very generous offer, which we accepted.

It’s important to mention that all our renovation expenses were fully recovered with a great profit—a wonderful bonus we never anticipated at the start. Everyone who came to view the place kept repeating the same thing: 'How did a two-room apartment turn into so much space?' So much air. So much storage. And the feeling that the apartment is much larger than its actual square footage.

Now, my daughter has grown up. A few years have passed. And I am so glad that we didn’t just choose a 'practical option' back then—because it was in this very room that her real childhood happened.