The core idea of the project is to create a space that reflects the soul as an internal cosmos of the human being—a place where meaning, light, depth, and boundlessness converge.
The Nizhny Novgorod region is a unique area with a profound cultural layer. It is a land of merchant grandeur, great rivers (the confluence of the Volga and Oka), Old Believer sketes, and dense, mystical forests of the Zavalzhye, where, according to legend, the invisible city of Kitiz is hidden. Furthermore, it is an absolute historical center of Russian artistic crafts.
In the presented interior, the local, purely Nizhny Novgorod identity is perceived very subtly—through the deconstruction of famous local crafts and an invocation of the genius loci. Here is how this manifests in the details:
Soft relief panels in the bedroom, the rhythm of the furniture’s vertical lines, and the massive wooden tabletop-sill all reference the famous «Nizhny Novgorod blind carving.» Historically, such monumental, dense carving (without cutouts) adorned the famous Volga ships (Belyany and Rashvy), and later, the facades of wealthy merchant houses in the Nizhny Novgorod Governorate. In contemporary interior design, this love for rhythmic volumes and the texture of wood has been translated into the language of cozy minimalism. «Matra Medved» from Evgeniya Goltseva’s project, an artist from Nizhny Novgorod. As part of this project, she creates wooden dolls that blend Russian customs with images from world artistic heritage. The project’s name refers to the Sanskrit word «matra,» which denotes a unit of time equal to an inhale and an exhale. Thus, each doll becomes not just an object, but a metaphor for time, embodying the continuity of existence.
The interior features works by Nizhny Novgorod artist Evgenia Goltseva—mats from the «Hundred» and «Broad Soul» projects.
Animalistic figurines are a tribute to other famous Nizhny Novgorod crafts. On one hand, you can discern the form of the Gorodets horse—the main symbol of Gorodets, embodying wealth and strength. On the other hand, they evoke the archaic Novinsky wooden toys (another ancient craft from the Chkalovsky District of the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast), which were characterized by this type of carved, geometric plasticity, devoid of excessive detail.
Textiles in interior design, especially curtains made from textured, seemingly netted fabric and patterns on banquettes, evoke associations with «Nizhny Novgorod guipure» (Chkalovskaya embroidery) and chain stitching. Traditionally, Nizhny Novgorod artisans would pull threads from linen cloth to create a large net, upon which they would lay the pattern. The curtain texture in the project visually echoes this aesthetic of large thread interlacing, allowing light to pass through and creating a sense of airiness characteristic of the Volga region.
The Nizhny Novgorod code in this project operates on a subconscious level. Local archetypes are translated into a contemporary language of textures and interiors—spaces that unequivocally feel local to Nizhny Novgorod yet speak to a global audience.
Sofa, bed, chaise lounge, ottoman — Nesthome Nizhny Novgorod
Painting Motherhood 180/80, 2023, Goltseva Evgenia
Mattress Project Sotnya N 18 cm, 2024, Goltseva Evgenia
Mattress Broad Soul 58/35/25, 2024, Goltseva Evgenia
Mattress Nizhny Novgorod Bear 25/18/40, 2024, Goltseva Evgenia
Painting Desired 30/40, 2023, Goltseva Evgenia
Wooden Sculpture Horse. Wood. Alexander Ivasenko Nizhny Novgorod
Rug ARTWALK (wool, cotton, art silk)
