Family Home in Kfar HaOranim Transformed with Smart Nordic Design Solutions

A family of five, including parents in their 40s and three children aged 5, 11, and 13, purchased a 165-square-meter house in the pastoral community of Kfar HaOranim. The home, spread over 3.5 floors with six rooms, had an outdated layout featuring a concrete pillar in the living room and stairs encroaching on the kitchen space. Despite a previous renovation a decade ago, the design no longer suited the family's dynamic lifestyle, prompting a comprehensive renovation.

Interior designer Ronit Steiner led a precise three-and-a-half-month renovation costing approximately 650,000 shekels. The project included full interior design, infrastructure upgrades, custom carpentry, flooring, lighting, and styling. The design embraced a Nordic aesthetic with light tones, natural materials, and numerous smart storage solutions to create a bright, functional, and calm home environment.

Key challenges included the central concrete pillar and staircase that limited open space. Instead of hiding these elements, the team creatively integrated them by carving into the staircase to expand the kitchen and building a double-sided metal bookshelf around the pillar, turning it into a focal point. The kitchen was expanded with additional storage and a breakfast bar, while the dining area features a round table that can seat up to 14 people.

Other improvements included converting a former storage area into an intimate family room with smart storage for games and consoles, upgrading bathrooms with modern showers and natural tones, and unifying the flooring across all levels with laminate to reduce costs. Each child's room was personalized with a feature wall and decor reflecting their interests. The attic was transformed into a spacious master suite with an en-suite bathroom and extensive storage.

Steiner emphasized the importance of creating long-term, practical design solutions that suit both busy daily life and moments of quiet. The renovation was completed amid the heightened security tensions of the 12-Day War, adding complexity to the project timeline and logistics.