Minimalism, simplicity, white and raw concrete versus soft, colorful materials, tropical pattern wallpaper, wood and gold accessories. Can these extremes be combined in one interior? Karol Cieplinski, an architect from the blackhaus studio, in a project for an apartment located in a modern tenement on the outskirts of Krakow's historic center, designed an eclectic interior to reflect the characters of the two owners.
The white kitchen contrasts with the warm colors of the living room
photo: Bartłomiej Senkowski
geometric divisions
There's a lot going on in the Geometric Apartment, as the designer called it - contrasting colors, textures, materials and styles are juxtaposed - the iconic lemon squeezer designed by Philippea Starck can be spotted on the sterile white kitchen countertop, while family heirlooms, antique pieces in the color of old gold, line the golden bookcase in the living room, designed especially for the owners.
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The open living room is filled with wood, soft materials and gold accessories
photo: Bartłomiej Senkowski
The architect paid special attention to details and ways of combining different materials, which emphasize the geometric divisions of the interior. Thus, the apartment uses discreet doors and carved skirting boards that highlight the straight lines, while the divisions of marble tiles repeat the division of the oak floor.
French herringbone was adapted to the width of the ceramic tiles so that the joints of successive strips go into the floor division at the kitchen draught. The suspended ceiling above the kitchen has a discreet gap that gently pulls it away from the reinforced concrete ceiling. As a result, this small detail allowed the wires for the lamps to be routed non-invasively, writes the architect from the blackhaus studio.
eclectic interior
Most of the furniture in the apartment (except for the lounge set) was designed specifically for this interior and, through its shapes and finishes, complements its eclectic character. The black bed was upholstered with the same material used for the bedroom curtains - a soft indigo-colored fabric and trimmed with a burgundy silk roller. Behind the headrest of the bed is a colorful wallpaper with a rainforest pattern and original white bedside lamps in the shape of monkeys. The set with the bed is a black dresser with gold accessories.
{The bed headboard has a colorful wallpaper with a rainforest pattern and monkey-shaped night lights,title=behind the bed headboard there is a colorful wallpaper with a rainforest pattern and monkey-shaped night lights}
Behind the bed headrest there is a colorful wallpaper with a rainforest pattern and monkey-shaped bedside lamps
photo: Bartłomiej Senkowski
Ola Kloc: What was the priority for the investors?
Karol Cieplinski: Originally, the 58-meterapartment consisted of three rooms, a hallway and a bathroom. The 2.70-meter high apartment with large windows seemed much smaller and more overwhelming due to the number of rooms and functional division. The owners wanted the space to be as open as possible.
Ola: The interior of the apartment is austere and minimalist on the one hand, and colorful, ornate and eclectic on the other. Where did you get the idea for such contrasting combinations?
Karol: The apartment is a combination of two personalities that form a harmonious duo in life, the same when it comes to the unobvious combination of styles in the interior - seemingly different and yet they form a coherent whole.
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on the golden bookcase in the living room, designed especially for the owners, tune family heirlooms}
Photo: Bartłomiej Senkowski
Ola: In the apartment you will find, among other things, a wooden floor, a raw concrete ceiling, a soft velour sofa, gold accessories and heavy curtains. What influenced such a choice of materials, textures and colors?
Karol: We wanted to create unique, original interiors. Soft materials and appropriately selected lighting were to emphasize the cozy, homey character of the apartment. Soft wallpaper, velour curtains and upholstery were used to soften the harshness of the concrete. In creating the apartment plans, a principle based on layers of superimposed elements was applied. Thus, a steel bookcase in gold matte lacquer was placed on black wallpaper with a gold palm tree pattern. On the bookcase there are porcelain vases in white referring to the white surface of the decorative radiator. The radiator in this color was chosen deliberately - it was to become another element of the bookcase arrangement. White ceramics were juxtaposed with family heirlooms - antiques imported from various parts of Europe - in the color of old gold. Such a color scheme runs throughout the apartment and gives it a consistent character. The fabric of the sofa in the living room refers to the colors found in the bedroom - hence the sense of harmony and the keynote running throughout the apartment.
minimalist bathroom
photo: Bartłomiej Senkowski
Ola: What was the most difficult part of this project, and what are you most satisfied with?
Karol: The apartment was completed for the clients comprehensively - turnkey. Coordinating the work and supervising the fine-tuning of details was the most labor-intensive. For example, the reinforced concrete ceiling was hand-polished. To leave the wood grain as much as possible, it required finding the right contractor and much more time than mechanical cleaning.
