Located in Zakopane's Krupówki street, the 1927 tenement house, until recently, on its second floor, housed an office space, and before that, the store and service of Franciszek Bujak - one of the first manufacturers of wooden skis in pre-war Poland. The task of architect Agata Popieluch was to transform this uneasy 45-square-meter interior with a small balcony into an apartment for rent.
The designer arranged the kitchenette combined with the dining room and living room, enlarged the bathroom and bedroom. She introduced natural colors and materials into the interior and renewed the antique oak parquet flooring laid in a classic herringbone pattern. Providing a strong accent, she juxtaposed the floor with light walls in the living room and dark green walls in the bedroom.
The architect renovated the oak parquet laid in a classic herringbone pattern
Photo: Anna Michalek © Agata Popieluch
A symbolic reference to the tradition of Podhale are fragments of walls and furniture development made of light birch plywood, with delicate grain pattern. The closet in the entrance area, the bench and shelves in the living room and the headrest in the bedroom were made of plywood. In the bathroom, inserts of ceramic tiles in the color of bottle green refer to the Tatra forests. The whole is complemented by adding coziness to the classic wooden furniture and rattan accessories. A reference to the history of the place are old ski posters, including one originally advertising a former ski factory.
Dobrawa Bies: What was the main inspiration for creating this interior?
Agata Popieluch: The biggest inspiration for the design was the context of the place - the special location in Zakopane, the building and its history. The main idea was to combine the climate of a pre-war tenement with the coziness of regional interiors.
Dobrawa Bies: What was the biggest challenge, and what gave you the most pleasure during the design process?
Agata Popieluch: The biggest challenge was to convert the former service function into residential with the least possible interference in the existing layout. An additional difficulty was the irregular projection of the building, which was fitted to a trapezoid-shaped plot, the curved walls and the lack of right angles. The most enjoyable part of the project was designing the plywood furniture development, which appears in all rooms and takes on different functions.
A symbolic reference to the Podhale tradition are fragments of walls and furniture development made of light birch plywood
© Agata Popieluch
Dobrawa Bies: What were the needs and requirements of the investors?
Agata Popieluch: The investor commissioned me to design an apartment for long-term rental - practical functional, durable and timeless. Apart from adhering to a limited budget, I had a lot of freedom.
Dobrawa Bies: Where did the idea for such a combination of materials and styles come from?
Agata Popieluch: The main role in the apartment was to be played by the original oak parquet, which I managed to restore. The birch plywood motif with a delicate grain pattern, white walls and tiles with a light concrete texture form the background, while the dark parquet floor in the bedroom was chosen as a contrast. The light blue wall in the living room, the green wall in the bedroom and the tiles in the bathroom, are natural color accents. The apartment was furnished with classic and simple wooden furniture and rattan accessories, which warm up the minimalist interior.
