There is a flat in a tenement house in Górny Sopot which has undergone renovation. When the owner bought the property, she decided to carry out a thorough refurbishment. The layout of the rooms was changed, structural walls were moved, installations were replaced, and the kitchen was moved to a completely new location, connecting it with the living room and eliminating the problem of a walk-through room. Only after these radical changes could the space begin to tell its own story. The new interior design was created by Katarzyna Antończyk.
The starting point was the original pine floor – darkened, with a natural patina – and the preserved door and window frames. They set the tone for the entire project, introducing a soft, slightly nostalgic aura to the interior. The hallway features a wardrobe left behind by the previous owner, which fits into the new layout as naturally as if it had been part of it from the beginning. The rest of the furnishings are carefully selected pieces from flea markets and vintage shops.
The most important room is the kitchen – designed as a “room”, made of wood and visually blending softly into the living room. It does not dominate, but contributes to the atmosphere of the flat, taking advantage of the south-western light that fills the space for most of the day. This is where the 1970s McGuire bamboo chair stands, surprisingly comfortable despite its sculptural form. Next to it is a bookcase from the 1980s, curtains from the 19th-century cottage of the great-grandmother and a painting of the owner’s great-great-grandmother – a print on canvas based on a portrait painted by Henryk Rodakowski. The interior comes alive thanks to authentic objects that have their own stories to tell.
The hallway is finished with cement tiles in two patterns, predominantly white. The material is delicate and wears out over time, but it was precisely this susceptibility to the passage of time that was one of the reasons for choosing it. Thanks to the light composition, the windowless space does not lose its lightness.
The bathroom has been designed so that it does not resemble a typical sanitary room. Heated natural slate flooring, light-coloured walls and a large window create an atmosphere of warmth and freedom. The most surprising element, however, is the decorated wall in the shower: the tiles are printed with the “Sopot” poster by Ryszard Kai. The owner obtained the artist’s personal consent for this after exchanging a few emails, which gives this detail a unique character. The whole is complemented by a bleu outremer foncé ceiling from Le Corbusier’s original palette, painted with Keim paint, which subtly contrasts with the light walls.
The flat in Górny Sopot is not a project subordinated to a single aesthetic. It is a space that was created out of respect for the history of the tenement house, family memorabilia and old objects.
design: KatarzynaAntończyk
photos: MartynaRudnicka
styling: ElizaMrozińska
Read also: Sopot | Apartment | Interiors | Eclecticism | Recommended | whiteMAD on Instagram
