Over the last 12 years, I have transitioned between five different apartments. Each of these homes held a special place in my heart, yet inevitably, I would always get the urge to move somewhere else. My sales agent, who is a friend of mine, called and told me she had found something I’d love, although she didn’t even know that I was obsessed with finding a new place at the time.
I recall standing next to a huge Plane tree on Tsinamdzgvrishvili Street that now directly comes onto my balcony, never having envisioned that I would one day reside in this grand building. Of course, I couldn’t sleep that night and we bought an apartment two months later. I started the “big makeover”.
I had to change the entire layout of the apartment to accommodate my family’s comfort. Initially, we had to ensure the floors were separate, as the apartment spanned two levels, and I had acquired just one. Because of this, we had to dismantle a huge staircase in one of the rooms and relocate the entrance to a different side of the apartment. However, I did not touch the style. The apartment was so grand and impressive with its cornices, shutters, high ceilings, and amazing balcony, that I only renovated, whitewashed, and cleaned.
It is likely that this house, along with the surrounding neighborhood, was constructed by Germans who migrated here at the end of the nineteenth century, which explains the European ambiance of the place. As I have previously mentioned, I’ve moved through numerous apartments, yet I have never resided in one designed with such a unique layout that allows for a circular movement within. This peculiar detail makes this space even more unique. The interior is furnished entirely with things taken from previous houses. Much of the furniture is mine, which I have made over the years. I consider the bird embroidered by Adjarian grandmothers to be one of the beauties of my house.
This house required minimal effort on my part to feel like home, as I naturally appreciated everything about it. I preserved the kitchen furniture in its original state, as it was very authentic and functional for the place. The house was equipped with central lighting, which I also didn’t touch, I simply complemented it with some lights on the walls. Although I was not fond of the bathroom flooring, I was reluctant to completely remove it. Instead, I opted for a layer of microcement over it. The final surface gave us an interesting result, a protective layer with its own charm. I couldn’t resist the temptation and left the window panes intact, despite the risk of cold in the winter. We have a beautiful iron staircase in the yard and a feijoa tree. The balcony feels like a green space because of the huge chestnut tree, which I think is the only one on this street that has escaped being cut down. Everyone tells me that I had to wander so much to finally end up here… This house makes me feel like this is the place where I was always meant to live. I just had to find it, but ultimately it found me.
