Extended Family Buys Two Identical Luxury Tel Aviv Apartments for Vacation and Permanent Living
An extended family from the United States purchased two identical luxury apartments in the same Tel Aviv tower, each serving a distinct purpose. The first apartment was designed as a vacation home for family visits to Israel, while the second was acquired later by another family member who made aliyah and intended it as a permanent residence close to relatives. Both apartments, about 180 square meters each, were designed and furnished by architect and interior designer Liora Sternfeld, with custom furniture by designer Arik Ben Shimon.
Despite sharing the same architectural shell, the apartments differ significantly in design and atmosphere. The vacation apartment features a light, airy palette with white, natural wood, soft green, and blue accents, emphasizing relaxation and flexibility for guests. It includes a master bedroom, two additional bedrooms, and a convertible TV room, with three full bathrooms and guest facilities. The permanent residence, designed for a couple and three children, uses mineral plaster walls, natural materials, vintage pieces, and earth tones to create a warm, intimate environment. It includes four bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and a family-focused layout that minimizes the TV's prominence to encourage social interaction.
The design process was conducted almost entirely remotely via Zoom, WhatsApp, and phone calls, as the clients lived in the US. Sternfeld noted the importance of clear, precise communication in working with American clients. Furniture in both apartments was tailored to support the lifestyle needs of the occupants, with Ben Shimon emphasizing the role of furniture in fostering family interaction and flexibility.
Additionally, Ben Shimon is collaborating with art collector Serge Tirosh to transform his Tel Aviv showroom into a permanent platform for contemporary art exhibitions alongside his furniture collections. Their upcoming exhibition, PATTERN, dedicated to contemporary African art, will run from September 2 to December 2, 2026, at Nahalat Binyamin 110, Tel Aviv.
