When most people hear the word “siblings,” they think of petty fights and long-standing grudges. But Dotan, 41, and Yasmin, 47, Cohen decided they would rather design together than argue.
“It started about a decade ago,” Dotan says. “Yasmin and I bought a rundown apartment in Ramat Gan, and honestly, I don’t know where we got the courage.” Their mother gave them a sum of money that allowed them to invest in a 1,076-square-foot apartment. At the time, they hired an interior designer for the architectural plans. The gamble paid off. They bought the apartment for 1.48 million shekels, renovated it on a tight budget, and sold it a few years later for 3.1 million. “It was snapped up,” Yasmin says proudly. “A lot of that was thanks to the design.”
You had no background in design before that?
Dotan: “I studied industrial design and later worked as a space designer at an IKEA store in Netanya. Yasmin studied education and later worked as an executive assistant at a high-tech company.”
How do two siblings decide to design together? Doesn’t that lead to fights?
Dotan: “It actually started for practical reasons. We have an older sister who was already settled with her own apartment, and Yasmin and I were still figuring things out. We decided to buy a place as a rental property, but after designing it, we fell in love with it and moved in.”
Yasmin: “We both had a natural inclination for design and saw the potential in the large space. Our mother didn’t. She held her head and wanted to yell at us for even considering buying it. But after the renovation, she had to admit we were right, and we realized we worked well as a team and needed to keep going.”
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A dream wall for the cats at the entrance, doubling as storage
(Photo: Yonatan Tamir)
Designing for everyone, including for cats
After the renovation, Yasmin enrolled in interior design studies at Shenkar College. A year later, the siblings launched their joint studio, SPACE-CHANGERS. At first, they balanced the business alongside full-time jobs, until long nights made it clear they needed to commit fully. “Yasmin left her job first and started running the business,” Dotan says. “It took me a bit longer to feel confident enough to leave IKEA.”
Their collaborative work revealed their complementary strengths, which they brought into their latest project: redesigning an apartment for a single police officer in Rishon LeZion. His brief was unusual: the design had to accommodate not just him, but also his two cats.
“The cats are his whole world,” Dotan says. “He’s an amazing guy, and I have no idea how he’s still single. He takes care of them extraordinarily.”
The owner bought the four-room apartment about 13 years ago, after living in Tel Aviv, in a building near the beach. “He got the deal of a lifetime,” Yasmin adds. “He bought it for about a quarter of today’s prices.”
The apartment was in good condition but felt dated. “He wanted a refresh, with a sense of luxury and integrated solutions for the cats,” she says.
What challenges do pets create in a home like this?
Dotan: “There are quite a few, like odors, shedding and fabrics cats love to scratch. We addressed all of them. For example, in the utility room we installed a special litter box system where the cats climb up, do their thing, and the waste drops below. Everything stays clean, and most importantly, there are no odors.”
Yasmin: “We chose leather-like fabrics that cats are less inclined to scratch. Even the dining chairs are upholstered in a fiber-free material, so they can’t dig their claws in.”
Materials that stand up to claws and climate
Alongside pet-friendly solutions, the designers prioritized durable materials that could withstand the coastal climate.
The owner’s sister also joined the process, helping refine design choices. “They have a great relationship, like we do,” Dotan says. “And she has excellent taste, so it worked out perfectly.”
The color palette draws inspiration from the sea view, sandy tones and golden sunlight reflecting on the waves. “That’s how we landed on calm shades of stone, earth and gold,” Yasmin explains.
The entrance opens into a central living space that includes the living room, dining area and balcony. The layout posed a challenge, with a hallway opening positioned too close to the TV wall, making the living room feel cramped.
The designers solved this with a custom walnut wood wall featuring a hidden door, creating the illusion of a larger, continuous space. The wall extends toward the entryway, incorporating playful climbing features for the cats, named Safam (whiskers) and Shmulik, and continues into the kitchen, reinforcing a sense of flow.
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The dining area beside the living room, featuring ostrich sculptures
(Photo: Yonatan Tamir)
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In the kitchen, only the cabinet fronts were replaced with darker finishes
(Photo: Yonatan Tamir)
The wall integrates open and closed storage, a TV, a fireplace and, at its base, a discreet passage for the cats leading to the utility room where their food and litter are located. “We wanted all the cats' systems hidden but accessible,” Yasmin says. “That way, the home stays elegant and tidy, and the cats can move freely without disruption.”
In the living room, the designers selected a sand-colored leather sectional with electric recliners. “Usually, these sofas aren’t very attractive, but we found one by Nicoletti that’s both elegant and comfortable,” Dotan says.
Two armchairs upholstered in synthetic fabric sit opposite, with stone-toned seating and leather-like backs in a warm clay shade. An abstract rug anchors a pair of coffee tables with black wooden legs, one topped with smoked glass and the other with marble. Above them hangs a brass light fixture with a marble element.
When the designers couldn’t find suitable artwork, Dotan created a piece himself, echoing the rug and marble finishes. A soft white curtain balances the textures and tones. The balcony was designed as an alternative lounge area, with a sofa, armchairs and a table featuring Thai-inspired motifs, creating a relaxed, vacation-like atmosphere.
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The artwork created by the interior designer specifically to suit the apartment
(Photo: Yonatan Tamir)
A home that works for everyone
To the right of the entrance is the dining area, designed for large gatherings. The designers chose an extendable table made of scratch-resistant material and chairs upholstered in pet-friendly fabric. Above the table hangs a marble light fixture with leather straps. Gold-finished ostrich head sculptures on the wall add a playful touch.
In the kitchen, only the cabinet fronts were replaced. They were painted black in a high-temperature finish to complement the apartment’s overall palette. Additional cabinetry was added around the refrigerator, and veneer matching the custom wall was used to ensure material continuity. Brushed gold handles tie in with the lighting.
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The bedroom after the redesign, including features for the cats
(Photo: Yonatan Tamir)
The bedroom was also redesigned, featuring a tropical wallpaper in blue and gold behind the bed. Pendant lights and soft curtains enhance the relaxed atmosphere. This room also includes climbing features for the cats. Opposite the bed, a TV sits above a decorative fireplace with ambient lighting.
And what do the cats think?
Dotan: “They immediately took to it. They came in, started playing with everything, like it had always been there. The best part is that months after the renovation, the client is still sending us videos of them running along the activity walls.”
Yasmin: “For us, that’s the highest compliment, that the flow of the home remains seamless and everything is functional.”