Colorful Tel Aviv Apartment Embraces Bold Design Without a Single White Wall
Shlomit Heyman, known as "The Exaggerated," has transformed her 70-square-meter Tel Aviv apartment into a vibrant, colorful home she calls "Mogziyon," a blend of "exaggerated" and "museum." Moving in four months ago, Heyman, a 60-year-old book editor and layout instructor, designed the space with no white walls, featuring a fuchsia kitchen with lime green niches, a living room painted in a red-orange hue with a green sofa, a blue and gold bedroom with dramatic wallpaper and Swarovski beads, and a bathroom with bright yellow tiles.
The apartment, located in a 70-year-old building, was extensively renovated by architect and longtime friend Ari Segal. The renovation opened the previously divided space into a large area combining kitchen, living room, and dining, alongside a bedroom, guest room, guest bathroom, and main bathroom. Heyman’s love for the southwest-facing balcony, ideal for growing plants, was a key factor in purchasing the apartment. The design also considered Heyman’s chronic pain and potential future wheelchair accessibility.
Segal emphasized the distinction between architectural planning and personalized design, ensuring every element was intentional and tailored to Heyman’s needs. The kitchen’s bold pink and lime green palette set the tone for the rest of the apartment, with terrazzo flooring providing a subtle contrast. Unique features include color-coded doors that blend into their respective rooms and a hidden laundry room door disguised as part of the kitchen cabinetry.
The guest room stands out with orange-red walls and a bright green sofa, while the balcony features granite porcelain tiles with floral prints and custom cat-safe openings in the protective netting for Heyman’s two adopted cats. The bedroom adopts a more European style with blue and gold tones, inspired by a gifted painting and a custom bed cover.
Bright yellow tiles in the bathroom and green tiles in the guest bathroom were carefully selected for their exact shade and gloss. Heyman’s passion for color and design is evident throughout, and she enjoys giving guided tours to friends, highlighting the surprise of the colorful doors. She embraces her nickname fully, stating, "There is no such thing as too much for me. You can’t tell a person who is exaggerated by nature that they are overdoing it."
