In the centre of Bratislava, a young married couple decided to purchase a flat in a 1930s tenement building. The property, with an area of just over 100 square metres, retained its original layout and required a comprehensive renovation to meet the owners’ contemporary needs. Katarína Hrvolová from ova studio and Martina Mičko from jam studio were responsible for the design, and together they carried out a bold transformation that was respectful of the building’s history. The former 3.5-room layout was transformed into a functional three-room flat, better suited to the couple’s daily routine.
Right from the doorstep, attention is drawn to the spacious hall, where the central element is a custom-made, undulating burgundy-coloured built-in unit. It is accompanied by terrazzo in shades of beige and baby blue, also prepared especially for this project. These three colours recur throughout the flat as wall colours, creating a consistent visual language and emphasising the character of pre-war architecture. The classic herringbone pattern on the floor completes the atmosphere of a place where the past and the present meet.
A new chapter in pre-war walls
One of the key assumptions was to maximise the lighting in the entrance area. Therefore, the former kitchen, located just behind the hall, was transformed into a guest room that also serves as a home office. It was separated by glass doors that allow light to freely penetrate the central part of the flat.
A play of colours
The bathroom area also required significant changes. Moving it to the former room allowed natural light to enter through the existing window. The new space accommodates both a spacious walk-in shower and a freestanding bathtub. The minimalist lines of the fittings contrast with the soft, oval shapes of the ceramics, and the washing equipment has been concealed in built-in furniture to maintain visual order.
Openness, light and hidden solutions
The owners love to entertain guests, so one of their main expectations was a large, open living area. Removing one of the partition walls allowed the kitchen, dining room and living room to be combined into one harmonious space. It is this change that has most improved the comfort of living in the flat. The centrepiece is an extensive kitchen unit with an island, designed to reduce the number of wall cabinets and maintain a feeling of lightness.
The design also includes some clever solutions. The entrance to the master bedroom is hidden in the kitchen units, keeping the living area visually tidy. The 20 m² room itself allowed for the creation of a comfortable walk-in wardrobe separated by a glass wall, which subtly integrates it with the rest of the interior.
design: Jam Studio, OVAStudio
photos: LenkaNémethová
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