Old buildings often hide stories waiting to be discovered, and it was this that inspired me in creating this unique project. The first floor of a century-old tenement near Krakow, which we revitalized, revealed the secrets of the past to us, and the investors, fascinated by its charm, wanted to restore its former glory.
DESIGN ASSUMPTIONS AND CONDITION OF THE TENEMENT:
The tenement, in which the studio is located, was built at the beginning of the 20th century. Its original style features high ceilings, solid walls, and beautiful architectural details. From the very beginning of the renovation, we knew we would have the opportunity to work with the remarkable history and character of this place.
The main challenge was to optimally arrange the areas in terms of ergonomics, while maintaining flexibility in the layout. Currently, the space serves as a cozy design studio of 30 square meters, but thanks to clever planning, it can easily be adapted into a studio apartment for two people.
KITCHEN:
The functional layout of the interior was changed within the partition walls. The original location of the bathroom made it impossible to create an exit to the terrace from the kitchen, which was one of the key design goals. Fortunately, we found an installation solution that allowed us to relocate the bathroom. This enabled us to create a functional kitchen with a dining area and introduce several clever solutions. One of these was reversing the direction of the cabinetry, which allowed us to integrate the kitchen with the dining area and conceal practical storage spaces behind it.
During the renovation, we faced challenges related to uneven walls, typical for old buildings. For this reason, custom-made cabinetry was created to perfectly fit the space. We wanted every detail in this interior to have significance. On one of the walls, we applied a pattern using a rubber roller technique, which allowed us to reference the building’s history while also becoming a dominant feature in the kitchen and dining area. The hidden bathroom door, which is an integral part of the wall, is not only a practical solution but also an aesthetic one that adds an element of surprise to the interior.
OFFICE:
During the renovation of the wooden floor, after removing the boards, we uncovered an unexpected situation—the space between the joists was filled with a significant amount of rubble that needed to be removed. We found surprising items, like an old horseshoe or a fork. Despite the small area, the scale of debris removal exceeded our original expectations, and the number of bags of rubble taken out turned out to be much greater than we initially anticipated. This surprise became an additional challenge we had to face during the work, say the investors.
During the renovation work, it turned out that the walls required the removal of as many as five layers of old paint. One of these layers featured a pattern applied using a rubber roller technique, which inspired architect Patrycja Morawska-Potas to incorporate a similar motif into the new interior design.
One of the key historical elements preserved in the apartment is an old tiled stove in pistachio green with a floral pattern. This unique feature became the starting point for the entire stylistic concept of the interior. Paired with chairs in a muted marsala pink, it creates a harmonious and elegant composition.
Architect Patrycja Morawska-Potas planned from the beginning to use old items belonging to the building and give them new life. Among these were lamps, a Singer sewing machine, bottle-green armchairs, and a round table. The sewing machine was used as a base for a large oak desk, perfect for creative work. The lamps underwent renovation, including rewiring. Despite their age, the armchairs required little restoration, and the round table fit well into the space—it can accommodate up to eight people when extended.
Golden elements, such as the bathroom fixtures and furniture handles, add elegance to the interior. The style and color palette are complemented by custom-made floral prints that perfectly match the atmosphere of the space. The interior is also adorned with handcrafted gilded cups, created on a pottery wheel, which give the space a unique character. Special attention should also be paid to the hand-crocheted curtains, family heirlooms in the form of oil paintings, and armchairs with bentwood armrests, which, combined with a modern sofa, create an ideal space for a dialogue between the past and the present.
