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    Henkin Shavit Studio Design deploys shades of oak and ash for a tranquil home in Tel Aviv

    JAN 24, 2022 | By Twinkle Tolani
    Le Corbusier armchairs—model LC 1 from the 1930s make a statement in the living room of the Natural Modern Home, Tel Aviv; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk
    A teak wooden dresser from the ‘60s sports a lamp from the ‘70s by the Italian designer Carlo Nason in the living room; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk
    The wooden table and handmade Piazza rug of the German brand Paulig Rugs sit in the centre of the living room, commanding attention; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk
    Placed atop a rope carpet, a dining table under a minimalistic lamp by ASAF WEINBROOM envelopes the dining area in old-world charm; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk
    Petite vases paired with the large painting in the backdrop of the dining table reinstate the monochromatic theme of the home; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk
    The vertically grooved oak walls weave a narrative that binds all spaces of the Natural Modern home seamlessly; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk
    My Kitchen, Israel aided the designers in achieving a kitchen that is modern, chic and clutter-free; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk
    The kitchen, drenched in ash grey tone is pulled into the theme with the vertically grooved oak wall running from the living room; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk
    Wardrobes with pristine white shutters with circular oak handles add an expansive quality to the primary bedroom; Photographs by Maya Neeman
    The guest bathroom flaunts a birch closet that cosily accommodates a mirror, sink and ample storage space; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk
    The multi-layer birch bed-back heroes as the most scenic characteristic of the primary bedroom; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk
    Grey tiles punctuated by a sink cabinet of the Italian brand Falper feature in the new bathroom of the home; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk
    A sand-blasted door welcomes users into a tranquil bathroom experience; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk

    How much oak is too much oak? Elucidating this dilemma is the Natural Modern Home in Central Tel Aviv by Irit Henkin and Zohar Shavit of Henkin Shavit Studio Design, a firm with an adept hold on architectural planning and interior design.

    Designed for senior clients who sought a home as pristine as a temple, the 1,080 sq ft space is a sanatorium from the relentlessly restless, culturally and colourfully saturated outdoor world. 

    A staid monochrome environment engulfs the indoors of the home. A whoosh escapes the lips upon witnessing the curated tranquillity deluged in tonal symphonies of natural oak and greys.

    A comfortable straw chair syncs with the carpet in the living area as the pairing highlights deeper shades in the space; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk

    With the first step into the threshold, a sedate living area comes into view. A diaphanous sofa in shades of brown and straw putty colligates with svelte Le Corbusier armchairs—model LC 1 from the 1930s. A wood centre table strengthens the contemporary narrative and nods to modernity with its part-stone top. 

    A handmade Piazza rug of the German brand Paulig Rugs accentuates the natural shades of the parquet. The entire apartment features natural oak flooring. 

    Roomy yet intimate, the kitchen and dinner zone are as welcoming as the living area; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk

    Orit Goldman’s soothing artwork charms the white walls in the space. In a corner, a teak wooden dresser from the ’60s paired with a lamp from the ’70s by the Italian designer Carlo Nason intrigues once eyed. 

    The kitchen is rendered in a neat, alluring palette by My Kitchen, Israel; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk

    To the right of the apartment’s entrance, a round dining table under a minimalistic lamp by ASAF WEINBROOM define the dining area. A natural rope carpet reinforces the rustic, monochromatic theme. Danish wooden skeleton legs beneath the round glass top display synchronicity with the slim, renovated school bench from the ‘60s. 

    Hans Wagner chairs from the ’50s rub elegance into composition and establish a connection with the sleekness of the kitchen. Sans a tactile separation from the dining area, the kitchen has a granite stone-covered work surface on one side and high closets with a stainless fridge and oven on the other.

    The quietest space, the primary bedroom, reveals itself behind the vertically grooved oak walls; Photographs by Maya Neeman

    A black stripline of air conditioning running throughout the width of the closet wall detaches it from the ceiling. As an ode to the Art Nouveau artist Émile Gallé, glass vases placed in the kitchen and living room confer a natural volume to the classic design.

    Hereon, a narrow corridor leads to the guest room and en-suite bathroom. Designed keeping in mind visiting children and grandchildren, further emphasis is laid on the respite from the outside chaos. In the bathroom, a birch closet hosts a sink, a mirror and designated space for a washer and a dryer. 

    A medley of varied shades of beige is unveiled in the primary bedroom, proving there’s no such thing as too much oak; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk

    “Originally, there was only one bathroom in the home. A challenge was to create an additional private bathing space for the owners”, reveal Henkin and Shavit. The new bathing space, connected to the primary bedroom by a sandblasted glass door, flaunts a classic sink cabinet of the Italian brand Falper sitting harmoniously amidst walls and floor covered in grey stone tiles.

    “The vertically grooved oak wood is deployed as a unified puzzle. This element is in the kitchen wall cover and recreates itself as a double partition between the bedroom and the living room. The partition includes a secret aisle door to the quietest corner of the apartment—the primary bedroom”, Shavit and Henkin make known.

    The guest bathroom is complete with a birch closet engulfing a mirror, sink and storage space; Photographs by Assaf Pinchuk

    Round oak handles on white wardrobe shutters face the multilayer birch bed-back. Disconnected by 45-degree cut boards and glued back together to create one whole grooved surface, the back of the bed is the crowning glory of the space.

    “Usurping reference from nature is now more important than ever. The studio turns its attention to contemporary modern architecture by abandoning contemporary raw materials. We are currently designing exposed concrete houses as well as designing interior spaces from old stone houses”, concludes the duo of Henkin Shavit Studio Design.

    If this Tel Aviv home enthralled you in its warmth, make sure to see this New Delhi home full of old world charm by Navya and A Quarter