Reimagining an apartment space can be difficult. Inspired by the inlay and colour palette of Josef Frank with some of the 1980s edge of Ettore Sottsass, Karolina Kotlicka of Warsaw-based design house Colombe Studio has created a richly curated space full of ideas to steal.
Warsaw-based Colombe Studio has nailed it in a way that a lot of Irish apartment dwellers could implement.
You’re restricted in what you can do, and a lot of it is about using colour and texture to layer the space.
The interior design firm has reimaged a large apartment and it offers a visual smorgasbord of ideas that could be implemented into the thousands of units many of us live in.
Situated in the Powiśle neighbourhood, which is also a student quarter, it has become one of the new quarters to explore.
Its regeneration includes bankside seating and open spaces that run down to the Vistula River.
In summertime, these banks are filled with thousands of people.
Start by opening the space up
By removing a stud wall between the hall and the living room, the design team can push the natural light into what was once an internal space.
This can be achieved by using a simple timber grid featuring battens. It’s far more fashion-forward than the fins or vertical battens that have now been used everywhere.
Another option is terracotta tiles, as you see in rural Spain and Italy. XO Tiles on Dublin 8’s Grahtham Street sells a range.
Bench seating, where you can take off outdoor shoes. A bank of floor-to-ceiling storage can accommodate suitcases, winter coats and shoes. The handles are by Matilda Goad.
Serve fresh kitchen layouts
Inspired by the work of Josef Frank, Chrapka’s long-time favourite designer, and Ettore Sottsass, the project combines organic patterns and unexpected combinations of form.
In the kitchen, there is distinctive fluting, clean divisions between task areas and the dining table and Frank’s characteristic inlays.
A wall of wood laminate, for example, creates a 1970s vibe that acts as a foil to the prints and patterns. It also integrates the fridge freezer.
Layer textures and prints
The tiles in the kitchen are one of the foundation layers of texture here. Walls sconces from Svenskt Tenn build the look, while the patterned curtain looks like something from the 1970s – in a good way. It's Le Manach at Pierre Frey.
The russet red stools are by Hay.
Dine in on a simple design menu
The dining area is light and airy and set against a backdrop of a glass wall.
It has a Carl Hansen table and Vitra chairs along with a part-textile bench to bring in a pattern, but has visible legs so that it feels open.
A café curtain lends privacy.
Amp up the luxury feel of the living area
Rich colour takes centre stage here. Olive greens sit with warm butter yellows, and contrasting details create a composition that, while dynamic, feels peaceful to spend time in. While this apartment is big enough to accommodate two sofas.
Not all in Ireland will.
A modular Poliform sofa helps zone the living room into two distinct areas.
In one, you watch TV and stream shows. Cognac-coloured millwork offers storage and decoration - a surface onto which to put books and decorative objects.
It also creates a frame into which the owner has hung the TV.
On the far side of the room, a frame in the same wood surrounds a second sofa.
This gives you more shelving to show off the things that are important to you.
A panel of Casamance wallpaper behind the sofa softens the look and helps to dampen down sound.
The sofa on this side is bainin coloured with a simple rug tucked into the seat to add a bit of contrast.
She’s deliberately used two contrasting textures and colours in her sofa choices in this space. It feels more relaxed and real.
The light overhead is Tekio by Anthony Dickens for Santa & Cole.
Simplify sleeping quarters
The primary bedroom is simply appointed with a slim headboard that isn’t too high. It surrounds the bed.
Floor-to-ceiling built-in wardrobes line one wall while Kelly green-coloured bedside lockers bookend the bed.
Printed voile curtains bring in some subtle colours and provide valuable privacy.
Big up subtle pattern in bathrooms
Add accent colours, wood for warmth and custom shelving to put your own stamp on a place.
The vanity features a marble—look ceramic tile with wood veneer-fronted drawers below.
These are fronted with Italian Alpi veneer below a surface-mounted sink.
Elevate the basics
By thinking of apartment basics as adornment, you add texture and a sense of luxe. Think of lighting switches and plug sockets as jewellery
Customise the look with more luxurious light switches. Here, sockets and switches have been supplied by Katy Paty.
Using the same flooring throughout it helps knit the whole look together. The semi-solid Versailles-style parquet by Chapel Parkett anchors the overall look.
To find out more, visit the interior design house Colombe.pl
