This Istanbul villa uses raw concrete, lacquered furniture and bonsai trees to make this home a perfect retreat from the chaos of city-life.
Istanbul is Turkey’s most populous city; a place that never sleeps. This home is a rare moment of pause. Designed by interiors studio escapefromsofa, co-founded by Mahmut Kefeli, Kerem Erçin and İrem Başer, it is a self-assured retreat where Bauhaus-inspired silhouettes meet warm comfort.
“The house needed to feel calm, but never cold,” says Kefeli. “Soft minimalism sounds simple, but it requires precision.” The brief, on paper, was deceptively restrained: natural warmth, subtlety and ease. In practice, it demanded a careful orchestration of furniture, materials and proportions – one that would feel contemporary without slipping into austerity.
This Istanbul villa’s entrance is deliberately understated. Built-in storage is integrated into the space, keeping surfaces clear and allowing movement to flow without interruption. There is no defined threshold between the entrance and the main living area, which encourages the eye to travel through the interior rather than settle immediately.
Material choices throughout the home are limited and deliberate. Solid wood, textured stone, lime-based finishes and soft fabrics create a consistent rhythm throughout. Earthy tones move from room to room, establishing continuity. This repetition plays a key role in supporting a sense of calm and familiarity.
The living and dining areas form the centre of the home. They are connected, but not treated as a single open volume. Furniture placement doesn’t rely on partitions or changes in level. Circulation remains clear, allowing movement through the space without crossing essential seating or dining zones. The outcome? An interior that feels open while retaining clearly defined spaces.
Many of the focal elements in these shared areas were designed specifically for the project. The dining table, cabinetry and naturally patinated leather chairs were developed in response to the architectural scale of the residence and the habits of its occupants. “Designing these pieces allowed us to respond precisely to the client’s lifestyle and to the architectural scale of each room,” says Kefeli. The bespoke nature of the furniture means that it sits comfortably within the architecture rather than drawing attention to itself.
Alongside the bespoke elements, furniture and lighting from Italian and Swiss brands are introduced with care, referencing pivotal moments in design history without asserting themselves as focal points. A lacquered ladderback chair by Charles Rennie Mackintosh sits in a softly-lit dressing room; a glossy red coffee table echoes the ripples seen in the wood-panelled walls; and a red-veined marble dining table threads it all together.
The kitchen is positioned as an extension of the living space rather than as a separate room; here, material changes are subtle and rely on texture rather than contrast. Moving away from the communal areas, the residence begins to shift in tone. A corridor leads towards the private quarters, narrowing slightly to signal a change in pace. Curved, wood-panelled walls soften this transition, creating a clear distinction between shared and personal zones without relying on doors or visual breaks. The bedrooms, too, follow the same material logic as the rest of the home.
It is in artworks that the home finds its emotional core. The carefully assembled collection features contemporary Turkish artists (including Sinem Demirci, Ani Qananyan, Ertugrul Güngör and Faruk Ertekin), and adds a layer of gentle texture to the rooms. “The art plays a subtle but powerful role,” Kefeli notes. “Instead of overwhelming the space, it deepens the emotional resonance of each room.” Selected to complement the home’s earthy palette, the works mirror what he describes as its “calm architectural gestures”.
Out in the garden, a terraced oasis awaits. Concrete pillars frame manicured lawns, while a single bonsai tree provides a meditative view from the patio. For warmer nights, a plunge pool extends along the width of the house, providing a stunning contrast against the city skyline. The home is a reminder that even in the midst of chaos, the freedom to create your own universe is within reach.
This article was published in the AD Middle East print issue for February/March 2026.
