Tales from Russia – Family Flat or Inner City Projects?

Dark, cold, and constructed of cement. The typical flat in Moscow is something you would see in developed-market projects. After walking through long, gray corridors that seem to fit in a horror movie and taking long, rattling elevator rides, we arrived in a room, secured by an iron door and housing two very small flats. Built by the Soviet Union, the majority of the flats and buildings in Moscow were maintained by the government. They were small and had very little room to store, decorate, and entertain. Over the past several decades, while residents have dramatically changed the way they live inside their homes, the city and its buildings have not.

Walking into a modern-day flat in Moscow is like entering a warm, inviting coccoon surrounded by a cold, gray city. The use of scent, color, and furnishings are an escape from the large and harsh city and oftentimes are inspired by nature.

How can brands leverage the need for comfort and warmth to develop products that fit today’s Russian home life? What cues from Russian nature can Western brands use to be more relevant to consumers?

Click here to download the Tales From Russia study.

-Contributed by Stephen Moon