Warsaw's Praga district is undeniably a unique part of the capital - although it is changing dynamically, you can still see examples of its unusual folklore. One of the elements that distinguish this part of the city are the shrines hidden in the courtyards of tenement houses. These are what inspired Wioletta Chmielewska and Jakub Bałanda of the Asymetric studio studio in the interior design of an apartment on Ząbkowska Street.
The nearly 80-square-meter apartment is located in the heart of old Praga, in an apartment building built at the back of the oldest brick building on the famous Ząbkowska Street, with a panoramic view of the neighborhood with the Różycki Bazaar at the forefront.
The 
kitchen build-up in brick-red color covering the entire wall
photo: ONI studio
The main inspiration for designing this apartment was the location and context of one of the oldest districts of the capital, the designers explain. - It was this colorful melting pot of contradictions that guided us on the right design track. Old Praga, where modern apartment buildings neighbor brick tenement houses from the end of the 19th century, is in itself such an inspiring place that there was no need to look further than the right bank of the Vistula for ideas. That's why our project became a place where different elements met - often forming an ambiguous relationship with each other, the architects add.
The leitmotif of the apartment seems to be.... arches! In the kitchen it is the niche in which the figure stands, in the bedroom the spun corners appear on the fronts of the closet in the dressing room and finally, perhaps most impressively - in the bathroom alcove, into which the bathtub is integrated, but about that in a moment.
The 
passable dressing room
photo: ONI studio
The arrangement of the apartment required changes in the existing functional layout - it was necessary to introduce new partition walls while keeping the plan as open as possible. This was dictated, as the designers emphasize, by the social lifestyle of the tenants, who often host friends.
The investors wanted to achieve a cozy, intimate atmosphere without unnecessary stuffiness. In the open living area, fixed built-ins were abandoned and mainly free-standing furniture was used, so that the space could be rearranged according to current needs.
living room details
photo: ONI studio
The eye-catching element in the living room area is a sizable red-colored sofa. The intense shade of the furniture alludes to the overall color scheme of the apartment - encompassing the entire wall of the brick-colored kitchen development, the aluminum frame of the glass window in the dressing room and numerous accessories in various shades of orange.
The 
an element that catches the eye in the living area is a sizable red-colored sofa
photo: ONI studio
The architects gave up communicative space in favor of a more functional layout, thanks to this solution all rooms are directly adjacent to the living room.
The aforementioned kitchen is made up of two parts - a built-in unit facing the wall and the entrance door, which houses cabinets, a refrigerator and an oven, and a brightly colored contrasting working area - a zone for preparing meals. Between the kitchen and living room stands a round table surrounded by designer rattan chairs designed by Marcel Breuer.
To this part of the apartment, the architects literally introduced an element of Prague folklore - a high alcove hiding a statue of Mary.
{To this part of the apartment, the architects literally introduced an element of Prague folklore - a high niche hiding a statue of Mary,title=architects literally introduced an element of Prague folklore - a high niche hiding a statue of Mary}
The architects literally introduced an element of Prague folklore into the interior - a high niche hiding a statue of Mary
photo: ONI studio
The kitchen is separated from the bedroom by a sliding door.
The idea was that the bedroom, separated from the rest of the apartment, should be a quiet room, without unnecessary furniture, accessories and, of course, a TV set. That's why we decided to design a walk-through closet, which is separated from the bedroom by glazing in an aluminum frame, the designers explain. - The bedroom is a bright room, the bed stands in the central part, and the only piece of furniture is the author's dresser standing opposite. Sparing decorations, a soft Moroccan rug in a light shade and discreet lighting are meant to give the room a more intimate feel, they add.
bedroom details
photo: ONI studio
On the other side of the apartment is located the bathroom, a place - as the architects emphasize - of unhindered relaxation away from the rest of the world. The bath room, according to the designers' assumptions, was to be as simple and graphic as possible - so a white bathtub stood in an alcove highlighted with an intense burgundy color, and a distinctive shade of wine subtly "spills" throughout the bathroom in the form of grout between the tiles in pastel mint color.
maroon-green bathroom
photo: ONI studio
