Flat with a Bay Window: Small Big Apartment in the Heart of Prague's Old Town

Interior designer Ivanka Kowalski faced a true challenge: to reconstruct a small apartment in the center of Prague with a completely inadequate layout into a space that meets today’s ideas of quality living. Although the investor will use the apartment more occasionally than for permanent living, the location itself – the representative Paris Street in Prague – did not allow the reconstruction to get stuck partway. The apartment in a Art Nouveau building hid several original elements that were in dire need of preservation and revitalization: stucco ceilings, original window handles, or paneling in the bay window. After all, it was precisely the bay window that represented a dominant and critical characteristic element of the apartment, which deserved to be highlighted and sensitively utilized.

During the reconstruction, it was crucial to utilize every centimeter of precious space, as well as to deal with some issues: the cladding below the windows was damaged and had to be replaced with quality replicas during the reconstruction. The entry to the apartment, made up of glass sliding doors and unattractive panel doors in a metal frame, was completely at odds with the character of the apartment and the entire building. What turned out to be the biggest challenge? “The apartment of 67 m² did not have a successful layout before the reconstruction,” reveals designer Ivanka Kowalski. “It was formed from half of the original bourgeois apartment, which had been insensitively divided into two smaller ones. Before the reconstruction, the apartment consisted of 2 interconnected rooms. It was not easy to come up with a layout that would correspond to today’s ideas of representative living,” adds Ivanka Kowalski.

After a successful reconstruction, the apartment is materially based on a combination of bleached original oak parquet with cream-white paint and lacquered paneling, complemented by gray-white Karara marble and brass details. The noble atmosphere of the apartment with high stucco ceilings is enhanced by cast-iron radiators and retro rotary switches and sockets from the Berker serie 1930. All these details underscore the overall character of the space. Additionally, the interior is appropriately complemented by handmade lighting fixtures from Michael Anastassiades or Giopato Coombes and a collection of fittings and handles from the Belgian manufactory Maison Vervloet, all from the portfolio of the design shop Monobrand. “In a small space, working with details, such as quality switches or door hardware, is even more important. Their timeless appearance and material integrity can add that famous cherry on top to the interior,” explains Katrin Grund, the owner of the Monobrand store.

An innovative and slightly daring solution was also required for the kitchen. It is newly entirely made of marble, including doors and drawers. Moreover, if not needed, the kitchen can be completely closed off using special doors that fold and slide into a pocket on the sides when opened. Another interesting element became the custom carpentry set at the entrance doors. The entry doors to the apartment, the entrance to the toilet, and to the technical room look like period paneling after the reconstruction.

“Although this is a small apartment, thanks to the newly chosen layout solution and the materials and colors used, it ultimately feels much more spacious than it actually is,” concludes Ivanka Kowalski. The successful reconstruction has been nominated for the Interior of the Year competition, which is announced by the Institute of Apartment Design. As part of the Interior of the Year competition, exceptional private and public interiors designed by Czech and Slovak architects (domestically and abroad) are awarded annually. The aim of the competition is to popularize original housing, as well as extraordinary design in shops, public spaces, hotels, or restaurants, but also to influence the general public through the informed opinion of the expert jury – to bring inspiration and set trends. The results will be announced at the international housing congress Living Forum on March 31, 2020.

www.hager.cz/vypinac
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