It is small, but has a great atmosphere. The flat in Sopot was designed by architects from the k b architekci studio. It was created as a space for holiday rentals. Despite the limited space, they managed to create a comfortable space here, which surprises with its details
The flat is only 24 square metres in size. Such a size required the architects to perform procedures that would visually enlarge the space and make it fully functional. To achieve this, the architects designed a sliding glass door to the bathroom, which is decorated with ornamental glass. This makes the room appear more spacious, and beautiful, colourful reflections of light stream into the room through the south-facing window located in the bathroom
We took the form of the glazing from the unique Art Nouveau architecture of Sopot – the curves, the small muntins dividing the glass into smaller parts and the use of coloured ornamental glass are reminiscent of windows in Sopot townhouses. The colours and form of the glazing were also intended to attract the attention of tourists and make the flat stand out in the rich market of tourist accommodation, say the authors of the project
Another important point of the project was to restore the interior’s original axis of symmetry running through the centre of the veranda. Although the flat is located in a pre-war building, the interior that the architects found was the result of extensive reconstruction in the 1990s, so not even a trace of the old historical details remained. The architects wanted to refer to the history of the place, so they decided to remove all partition walls and separate only two spaces – the bathroom and the entrance area – using walls with large openings in the form of arches. These walls run symmetrically along both sides of the veranda, which in turn accommodates the kitchenette. Thanks to this, the space is tidy and one can see a reference to the symmetrical, harmonious interiors typical of pre-war townhouses
Another nod to history is the entrance door – custom-made by a local carpenter. Their form replicates the old pre-war doors that used to be in this location, the only difference being that they have been painted light blue on the interior side of the flat and filled with mirrors that add lightness and depth to the interior. Thanks to the fact that the original doors were preserved in several units in the building, it was possible to measure the details and make the same decorative millwork, which is later continued in other carpentry developments in the interior as well
In addition to aesthetic considerations, this small rental flat also had to meet a number of functional requirements so that guests could relax comfortably
We wanted aesthetics and function to go hand in hand, which is why all the appliances – fridge, dishwasher, washer-dryer, extractor hood – are hidden in the built-in furniture. The TV set is also hidden – it is located in the island separating the kitchen annex and, thanks to a special mechanism, slides out from the interior of the furniture when needed,” add the architects
The interior is dominated by a light shade of blue. This colour was juxtaposed with beiges, bleached oak veneer and glass in shades of amber. This colour palette is meant to be reminiscent of holidays and summer, bringing to mind the beach, sand and sun
Classic design elements such as stucco, blue marble, milled doors and rounded glass are broken by more modern materials – micro-cement in the bathroom and the steel construction of the openwork wardrobe at the entrance. Behind the bed, the plaster was removed and the original brick wall was exposed, which was painted in a light shade of blue, giving it a more original and lightweight appearance. The interior is also unpretentious: a huge white lamp with an organic shape – the Screen model by the French manufacturer Market Set – and plates by the Polish brand Révolte, whose design combines classic and modern
design: Ewa Konkol and Bartosz Baranowski(k b architekci)
photo: Hanna Połczyńska – chronicles
Also read: Sopot | Apartment | Interiors | Glass | Art Nouveau | whiteMAD on Instagram
