The 70-square-meter apartment in Warsaw's Kamionek district provides its occupants (a young couple and Gustaw the cat) with a sunny, spring-like atmosphere all year round. And all this thanks to a fever of energetic colors, a wealth of forms and a variety of materials proposed by Hanna Brzozowska of the Inbalance studio.
The project required a change in the original layout of the apartment - the living room was initially divided into two smaller rooms. In order to open up the space of the living area, the designer decided to remove the existing division, thus creating a spacious zone with separate areas for work (a small desk against the wall with green upholstered chairs), leisure (with a yellow sofa), a reading corner (highlighted by vertical wooden slats, with a maroon armchair as a background) and a dining area with a kitchen. The living room is separated from the hallway by a tall, openwork bookcase.
Left: view of the lounge area; right: workspace, reading nook and openwork bookcase
Photo: Aleksandra Dermont
The different parts of the apartment are distinguished not only by furnishings or accessories, but also by floors and color accents on the walls. The base and background for playing with colors and materials are white walls and wooden floors, on which the applied solutions are even more clearly visible - the kitchen area is marked by a floor in a colorful terrazzo pattern, and the bathroom - a floor in black and white shapes. The undisputed king of the interior (next to Gustav the cat) is color - the apartment is decorated with spots on the walls and bathroom ceiling, colorful furniture and milled fronts in the kitchen, yellow grout, geometric headrest in the bedroom, as well as various accessories, with which the cozy space is filled.
Left: geometric bed headrest; right: cozy atmosphere is created by accessories.
Photo: Aleksandra Dermont
Ola Kloc: What was the priority for investors?
Hanna Brzozowska: The investors came to me with heads full of ideas and lots of interesting inspirations. They expected an interior that would be beautiful, unique and full of good energy. From the very beginning we talked about the use of a lot of color, geometric details and the skillful combination of different styles preferred by the clients. As important as aesthetics itself was, of course, functionality. In the design we had to assume a lot of storage space, as well as plan space for displaying a large number of books.
Ola: Almost every nook and cranny of the interior is a real explosion of colors, shapes and textures. What influenced such a selection and combination of them?
Hanna: We chose the color base of the project at the very beginning. It consists of yellows, greens and shades of red. These are colors that are associated with spring and sunshine, while introducing a cheerful and happy atmosphere into the interior, which the Investors wanted. The whole concept is governed by contrasts. Where there is more wood, white or strong color appears - the main protagonist of the arrangement, which in such a combination catches the eye even more. Colorful patches on the walls and distinctive shades of furniture further emphasize the division of zones and functions of the interior, their location is not accidental. Circular forms and curves add softness and coziness to the whole arrangement. There is a certain uninhibited freedom and a sense of humor in all of this, which makes the interior so pleasant to look at and use on a daily basis.
Left: the kitchen area is marked by a floor in a colorful terrazzo pattern; right: the dining area between the kitchen and living room
Photo: Aleksandra Dermon
Ola: This bold and energetic mix of elements is at the same time surprisingly coherent, and at the same time creates a unique atmosphere of the interior. What is your recipe for such a skillful arrangement of the space?
Hanna: For both this interior and other projects, the key is consistency. We use the same or very similar color palette in all the rooms. This makes the whole arrangement consistent. We carefully select furniture and accessories - in Kamionek you will find many materials, different types and shades of wood, but nevertheless these are very similar elements, from one family. Thanks to this, the whole thing "plays". We are also not afraid to expose the owners' objects and memorabilia. It is they that give the arrangement its character, make the project sincere and tailored to its inhabitants.
left: bathroom; right: hallway
Photo: Aleksandra Dermon
Ola: What was the most difficult part of this project, and what are you most satisfied with?
Hanna: The biggest challenge was planning the living area. We had to fit a kitchenette, a dining room, a TV area, a library with a reading nook, and a small home office on a relatively small square footage. It was not without interference with the existing layout of the apartment, relocation of equipment and demolition. In the end, all the investors' dreams were fulfilled, and the project was realized practically 1:1 - according to all the assumptions, which is always a huge success. The realization looks even better in person than in the visualizations, and this pleases most - both me and the Investors :)
Ola: Thank you for the interview.
