In a tenement from the 1930s, located right next to Rydz-Śmigły Park and Agrykola, an interior was created that perfectly demonstrates that functionality and aesthetics can go hand in hand. The designers of this 76-square-metre flat in Warsaw’s Powiśle district decided to create a real, honest space – simply a flat to live in. This is how the idea of the “Volkswohnung” was born – a flat for everyone. But in a premium version.
The inspiration came from Berlin – a city that is casual, diverse and unpretentious. It was its spirit that became the starting point for a design in which functionality goes hand in hand with boldness in materials and colours.
New layout, new energy
The flat in a pre-war tenement has undergone a complete metamorphosis. After combining the two largest rooms, a spacious living area with kitchen and living room was created. The former kitchen was turned into a cosy study, the bathroom gained additional space at the expense of the corridor, and a former storage room was incorporated into the bedroom. This gave the flat a clear, modern layout: a bright hall, two separate rooms and an open space for cooking, working and relaxing.
Wooden base and bold accents
The basis of the design is natural wood. The cabinetry is made of oak veneer in a proprietary blend of stains, developed together with a carpenter. The living room and bedroom areas feature veneer made from exotic anegre – a material that was regarded as a symbol of elegance and luxury in pre-war Warsaw. This wooden base became the background for the more expressive elements of the interior.
One of these is the blue chest of drawers in the hall – a bold, sculptural accent with spherical handles that immediately catches the eye. A second, equally bold point is the kitchen island clad in mirrored tiles. This detail – balancing art and design – gives the space an unobvious Berlin feel. The designers admit that the choice was risky, but the end result was a hit.
Butter beige and vintage pearls
This is complemented by a long, hanging cabinet in buttery beige that stretches across the living room. Its lacquered fronts reflect the light, brightening up the interior and adding a contemporary lightness.
Vintage furniture and accessories are also an important part of the design. Prominent among these are the unique 1960s Airport Chair 037 by Geoffrey Harcourt, imported from Belgium. The chairs once adorned exclusive airport lounges – today they add decades of elegance to the interior. The study, meanwhile, features an original desk from the Bauhaus era, perfectly in keeping with the whole concept of the flat.
Details that set the mood
Wool carpets, heavy curtains with a soft grip, a patterned headrest from DEDAR and abstract paintings in shades of red – each of these elements has been chosen with thought. The interior is coherent, but not boring; elegant, but with detachment.
Against a background of alabaster walls and ceilings, expressive woodwork, warm wood and colourful accents create a composition that exudes calm but also life. This is a flat that does not pretend – it is made for everyday life. For cooking, relaxing, working and meeting.
“Volkswohnung” from Powiśle is a project that shows that modern comfort can go hand in hand with authenticity and respect for the history of a place.
design: Jasno Projekty
photography: Almond Studio
See also: Architecture | Apartment | Warsaw | Apartment | Modernism
