Israeli Family Transforms 20-Year-Old Home Into Eclectic Parisian-Style Villa Amid War Challenges
A couple from Kadima, parents of two teenagers and owners of two dogs, enlisted interior designer Ossi Katz Dagan to renovate their 200-square-meter, two-story home. The house, built about 20 years ago in a rustic style with warm yellow tones and typical period features like gypsum ceiling drops and niches, was completely redesigned to reflect the family's updated eclectic taste. Katz Dagan describes the vision as creating a warm, inviting, and character-filled home with a clean, modern look inspired by a Parisian café, blending wood flooring, unique tiling, a green kitchen, rustic-industrial lighting, and decorative hardware.
The renovation began just three days after the outbreak of the war on October 7, 2023, complicating the process with air raid sirens, labor shortages, and supply delays. Despite these challenges, the team met their deadlines. The work involved removing interior walls, dismantling gypsum features, and eliminating outdated niches to open the space while preserving some original elements like aluminum frames and some living room furniture to maintain the home's character.
The kitchen underwent the most dramatic transformation, expanding significantly to nearly half a floor and becoming the home's focal point. Designed in collaboration with "Pshutot Kitchens," it features sage green fronts combined with black, gray, wood surfaces, and rustic-industrial accents. The large island seats seven and is paired with a round, extendable dining table to soften the space. A concrete pillar uncovered during demolition was integrated as a central design element. Lighting and hardware were carefully selected to create a harmonious, jewel-like effect.
In the living room, original sofas and cabinetry were retained, but a central wall was revamped with micro-topping concrete finish and striking lighting fixtures replacing a dominant painting. The staircase was updated with wood and black accents, complementing a new dramatic black front door. Guest bathrooms were remodeled with new green tiles and fixtures, despite delays caused by the war.
Upstairs, bedrooms feature warm parquet floors and a calm palette with green, wood, and gold touches. The master bedroom includes a large closet and a quiet atmosphere with a balcony bringing in natural calm. The master bathroom was enlarged and modernized with a doorless shower and gold details. Teen bedrooms blend vintage and modern elements, while the shared bathroom/laundry room was redesigned for functionality and style, replacing a bathtub with a more practical layout.
Katz Dagan says the family is thrilled with the outcome, describing it as a dream realized. Visitors are impressed, and the homeowners enjoy hosting and living in their refreshed, stylish home.
