RICHARD

BESPOKE RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR DESIGN IN ST-PETERSBURG

Richard began with a room that had no defined purpose. Within just 30 square metres, it evolved into an extraordinary private study filled with unique works of engineering, precision mechanics and hand craftsmanship.

At its centre is a chandelier unlike any other: a dragon imprisoned inside a rough metal cage, guarding an exquisite crystal light. At the touch of a remote control, the dragon begins to move and roar as the cage slowly opens. It is not simply lighting, but a mechanical sculpture created especially for this interior.

Every element was conceived as part of one story. Nothing was standard, decorative or accidental. Furniture became architecture, lighting became theatre, and traditional craftsmanship was combined with complex mechanical engineering.

The result is far more than a home office. It is a complete fantasy world compressed into one small room - a space filled with secrets, movement, history and invention. Richard demonstrates how even the smallest interior can become an exceptional work of design when imagination is supported by knowledge, engineering and master craftsmanship

Bronze dragon imprisoned with a crystal chandelier inside a monumental metal cage in the Richard private study

Richard the cat sitting on a Gothic desk with antique carved wood preserved beneath a glass tabletop

Historic antique wooden tabletop preserved beneath protective glass on the bespoke Gothic desk

Historic stained-glass window framed by the last surviving length of Morris fabric in the Richard private study

Bespoke Gothic leather sofa with secret drawers and hand-carved wooden details in the Richard private study

Hand-painted door with delicate Gothic ornament and a bronze dragon-shaped handle in the Richard private study

Mysterious mirrored portal created through a complex multilayer etching technique and illuminated like an entrance into another world

Secret passage for Richard the cat with bronze grilles and a hand-painted decorative cornice built into the bespoke bookcase

Ornate bronze door handle crowned with a sculpted dragon head in the Richard private study

Richard the cat peeking out from his secret passage hidden inside the bespoke library

Historic stained-glass window, rare Morris fabric and antique tabletop protected beneath glass in the Richard private study

The desk was built around a historic tabletop composed of ancient carved wooden fragments and ornaments, complemented by bronze skulls and handcrafted metal details. The Gothic sofa conceals secret drawers, while the bespoke bookcase includes a hidden passage at the top for Richard - the client’s cat and the character who gave the project its name.

Bespoke private study with a Gothic desk, historic stained glass and rare Morris fabric curtains

Bronze skull details and hand-carved wooden panels on the bespoke Gothic desk in the Richard private study

A luminous portal opens into an imagined world of dragons, turning one wall into the entrance to another reality. Even the textiles carry their own history: the interior includes the final surviving length of fabric woven by the Morris factory.

PROJECT DETAILS:

LOCATION:

ST-PETERSBURG

TYPE:

BESPOKE RESIDENTIAL INTERIOR

AREA:

30 SQ M

DESIGNER:

TATIANA MIKHAYLOVA · LE RÊVEUR

Bronze dragon guarding a crystal chandelier inside a metal cage in the bespoke Richard private study