In a 1930s tenement building located right next to Rydz-Śmigły and Agrykola parks, an interior has been 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 genuine, honest space — simply a flat to live in. This is how the idea of “Volkswohnung” — flats for everyone — was born. But in a premium version.
The inspiration was Berlin — a free, diverse and unpretentious city. It was its spirit that became the starting point for a design in which functionality goes hand in hand with bold materials and colours.
A new layout, new energy
The flat in a pre-war tenement building underwent a thorough metamorphosis. After combining the two largest rooms, a spacious living area with a kitchen and lounge was created. The former kitchen has been transformed into a cosy study, the bathroom has gained additional space at the expense of the corridor, and the former storage room has been incorporated into the bedroom. As a result, the flat has gained 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 furniture was made of oak veneer in a proprietary mixture of stains, developed in collaboration with a carpenter. The living room and bedroom feature exotic anegre veneer, a material that was considered a symbol of elegance and luxury in pre-war Warsaw. This wooden base became the backdrop for more expressive interior elements.
One of them is the blue chest of drawers in the hall – a bold, sculptural accent with spherical handles that immediately catches the eye. Another equally bold feature is the kitchen island covered with mirror tiles. This detail – balancing between art and design – gives the space an unobvious Berlin character. The designers admit that the choice was risky, but the end result turned out to be a bull’s eye.
Buttery beige and vintage gems
The whole is complemented by a long, hanging cabinet in butter beige, which stretches across the entire living room. Its lacquered fronts reflect light, brightening the interior and adding a contemporary lightness.
Vintage furniture and accessories are also an important element of the design. Among them, the unique Airport Chair 037 designed by Geoffrey Harcourt in the 1960s, imported from Belgium, stands out. Once they adorned exclusive airport lounges — today they add elegance from decades past to the interior. The study features an original Bauhaus-era desk, which perfectly matches the overall concept of the flat.
Details that set the mood
Wool carpets, heavy curtains with a soft touch, a patterned headboard from DEDAR and abstract paintings in shades of red — each of these elements has been carefully selected. The interior is coherent but not boring; elegant but with a sense of distance.
Against the backdrop of alabaster walls and ceilings, expressive woodwork, warm wood and colourful accents create a composition that exudes calm but also life. This is an apartment that does not pretend — it is designed for everyday life. For cooking, resting, working and meeting people.
“Volkswohnung” in 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
collaboration: Modernismo
photography: Migdał Studio
See also: Architecture | Flat | Warsaw | Apartment | Modernism
