It’s a space you just want to be in. An old house in Warsaw’s Żoliborz district has undergone an aesthetic metamorphosis. The new interior is like an oasis in which to relax after a day’s work. The design of the space was prepared by architects from the INDOOR studio.
The house was built in the interwar period. It is a terraced house in the oldest part of Żoliborz. The traditional form of the building does not foreshadow what is happening inside. As soon as you cross the threshold, you get the impression that you have moved into a garden, the view of which is a major attraction and adorns the interior.
This was the plan from the beginning, the owners dreamt of this view forming their space,” admit the project’s authors.
The interior design meets the expectations of the investors. They clearly indicated what their interests were. These include Japanese culture and 20th century design. The designers decided to limit the form and colour scheme to create a place for art and the surrounding nature.
To achieve the desired effect, parts of the house had to be redesigned. The project involved inserting a large-format window, deepening and adapting the basement, which was to become a new living space. It should be mentioned that the building was extended in the 1950s. This ‘new’ part has gained an independent character and is set apart from the other areas of the house by the striped skylight and the burnt wood cladding used. The effect is accentuated by the light-coloured floor of several-metre-high planks, concrete benches in the living room and a horizontal Bommerang sofa from the 1960s designed by Adrian Pearsall. The whole is complemented by art – sculptures by Sigve Knutson and paintings by Gregory Worpus.
The placement of such a large window helped to illuminate the spa area, which was created below the living room.
The inspiration for this part of the house came from traditional Japanese baths, which are dominated by light cedar wood, stone and pure form. We wanted the interior to be raw and evoke a garden pavilion, while at the same time providing comfort and a sense of intimacy,” explain Barbara Łaźniewska and Maciek Tarchalski of INDOOR.
The spa area has been meticulously furnished. The Ofuro wooden bathtub set up here allows for full immersion and free-flowing water. Meanwhile, the steam sauna, hidden in the shade, and the free space for massage mats, allow for total relaxation. The mirrors that have been placed on the window extension ‘let’ the garden in, giving the interior perspective and space.
The other rooms are interestingly presented. Originally a small room, the owners love to cook and celebrate moments with friends, so the architects decided to let part of the kitchen into the dining room and make this zone the heart of the house. The space is distinguished by the steel built-in furniture, which, juxtaposed with the Finn Jula table, helped to create a minimalist effect.
During the renovation, it was also decided to replace the staircase. The building had already been remodelled before, so each section of the staircase was slightly different. Now the sequence is visually coherent. The architects proposed a steel structure, which was finished with a wooden ribbon of steps.
The residents’ private area was created on the upper floors. In addition to the bedrooms, there is a library. The master bedroom was designed with an emphasis on comfort. A bentwood and rattan bed, designed by Arthur Rogers for New York’s Randor Gallery, was set up here. A totemic Akari lamp designed by Isamu Noguchi also adorns the space.
The architects succeeded in redesigning an old house in Żoliborz to become a dream place to live. Congratulations to the owners!
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About the studio:
Based in Warsaw,Studio INDOOR designs private and commercial interiors. The architects who make up the studio, Barbara Łaźniewska and Maciek Tarchalski, create bold and modern spaces that are tailor-made. In their realisations, examples of the successful combination of simplicity and elegance can be found. Such combinations are achieved by using noble materials and maintaining proportions. – We take care of the detail that distinguishes and adds class. We are inspired by architecture, art and nature, we have a lot of respect for the history of design and are happy to draw on its rich resources by using vintage objects in our designs, which bring their own unique touch,” they write on their website. The architects admit that they like to experiment and look for non-obvious solutions. – Our projects are based on a thorough analysis of the architecture, surroundings and functional assumptions, trying to extract hidden values and unique features on which we build a new space. The result is thoughtful, friendly interiors with an individual charter,” they add. The studio has been operating since 2006 and has already completed several dozen projects.
design: INDOOR studio – Barbara Łaźniewska , Maciek Tarchalski(www.indoorprojekt.pl)
cooperation: KWADRATURA
photography: Piotr Mastalerz
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