A flat in a 1950s block of flats: this is what it looks like after renovation

It is 53 sq m in size and, after renovation, has become spacious and functional. This is how Kamila Okrutnik designed the flat in a 1950s block of flats.The interior photographs were taken by Michał Jabłoński

The flat is located in a block of flats on the Leśny estate in Bydgoszcz. The old building, although modest, has everything that is good about modernism. Although one can see that the architects wanted to refer to the climate of tenement houses, as the interiors are quite high, creating a new space in an over 60-year-old building has certain limitations. After walking through the staircase, the designer already knew what style the interior would have. After all, the staircase is decorated with terrazzo

In the first phase, I changed the layout from a two-room apartment with a separate kitchen to a three-room apartment with a spacious living room with an annex. I combined a separate WC with a toilet. Renovating a 60-year-old interior is a challenge. Problems with installations, risers, ventilation, level differences. There was a point where everything was wrong. After many months of fighting against adversity, we reached the finish line! – recalls Kamila Okrutnik

The designer was working with a limited budget. Nevertheless, she wanted to refer to the Bauhaus, which has always fascinated her. The loose reference can be seen in the geometry, simplicity, retention of a sense of space and the play of light and colours used. When it comes to furniture, the designer has reached for solutions from Ikea

The interior is decorated with expressive accessories in intense colours and art, of which the designer is partly the author. She found many of the accessories in her favourite antique shop. The details are worth noting – an example is the decoration of the contacts. Instead of placing a standard frame on a white wall, the designer decided to paint a circular border around it in several colours. In this way, the old flat in the block of flats eagerly entered the 21st century!

design: Kamila Okrutnik

photo: Michał Jabłoński

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