Project: House in the Woods
Designers: Ofist
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Year: 2020
Photographs by: Ali Bekman
House in the Woods by Ofist
Creating a balance between the surrounding nature and the family’s hectic, busy and urban life, House in the Woods was designed by the Istanbul-based interior design studio Ofist with using simple, familiar materials and meticulous implementations.
One of the wooden houses of Kemer Country premises in Istanbul, House in the Woods was over modernized, disconnected from its surroundings, and lost its connection with the habitat. Ofist’s involvement had started at the beginning of the pandemic, as the clients had to move in a very short period, like one month. Naturally, Ofist’s approach was to avoid too much interference with the infrastructure. Instead, the focus has been on clever touches and personalizing the house for its new residents. It was aimed to create a balance between the surrounding nature and the family’s hectic, busy, urban life.
Owning one of the leading pret-a-porter businesses in Turkey, clients Yilmaz Family always follow the latest trends and have intensive knowledge about fabrics, colors, and textures. Having worked with them several times, Ofist got used to the colorful and exciting journey.
This time, the focus was on warming up this over-modernized, remote house, and creating a connection with its surrounding habitat, while still preserving the urban connection. To create a bond between the house and the garden (plus the forest) and bring them closer to each other. In addition to the existing whites and anthracites all around the house, it was aimed for a bit more elegant colors, textures, and furniture for a more sophisticated feeling in the main living room, while going for a more cozy, warm feeling in the garden level.
Ofist’s design approach, they may say is again simple, clear, and down to earth. Clever ideas, with good quality implementations. As in the example of the fireplace intervention, a white painted timber harmonious with the house’s soul is placed through a metal system which is hung from the wooden roof and carries the TV and the shelving system.
Simple and familiar materials, clever and refined design, good quality, and meticulous implementations. We may say that this statement may sum up Ofist’s design approach in general. Designed specifically for its user, fitting perfectly like an haute couture suit. Not for just good looks, but to be used and enjoyed.
-Project description and images provided by PRchitect
