Storage and Light

Refurb of an apartment by YLAB

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  The new owners, a Norwegian couple who had fallen in love with the city and were great fans of design, could see the potential of its sunny ivy-covered interior courtyard, and decided to acquire it as a second residence. They wanted to turn it into a luminous space and create a semi-outdoor garden that would make up for the lack of an exterior space.

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  In order to do this the first step was to free the space through introducing significant structural changes, achieving a maximum use of light by opening the façade to the courtyard, and recovering the original gallery of the property to turn it into a conservatory/gallery.

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  The new layout is organised around a central open space in an L shaped configuration, connected to the conservatory and the interior courtyard. The interior area contains’ the main bedroom, fitted out with a wardrobe made of natural oak wood that integrates a dresser with a folding table. The bedroom has its own ensuite which can also be accessed from the common area through a double door.

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  The concept behind the new layout is inspired by dividing the classic living functions into different sub-areas, more related to the owners’ particular way of living.

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  Thus the kitchen-dining room is sub-divided into four separate sub-zones: the ‘fire’ zone and the ‘water’ zone, both in connecting spaces accommodated within a piece of furniture in front of the common space; the breakfast zone in a second piece of furniture placed at an angle, with space for a small appliance and removable cover; and the wine bar / counter, in a third piece of furniture just beside the room. All of them revolve around the central space, organised as islands of flexible furniture like the dining table and the seating area, which complement and give meaning to one another.

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  The kitchen areas are integrated through the perimeter furniture, made of natural light oak wood and fitted with quality Blum ironmongery and sophisticated interior accessories. Large retractable doors conceal open kitchen spaces, finished in Neolith white and natural wood, and large kitchen appliances. The appliances on view, such as the Novy hood, were chosen for their capacity to integrate with furniture.

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  The living room is similarly organised in an interior area, furnished with armchairs and a Carl Hansen table, and in a semi-exterior area within the conservatory gallery, with Butterfly armchairs and a Kettal table. Both areas are equipped with mobile furniture supplied by Gunni Trentino, decorated by Serax and Materia Barcelona.

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  Similarly, the office zone is divided into a work area with a computer next to the wall shelving system integrated into the room, and a folding desk with storage linked to the entrance cupboards.

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  The conservatory / gallery, with its double doors towards the outside and the inside, transforms another open space that can be used in different ways. Two large planters, facing one another and custom made using the same natural limestone as the pavement, provide a lush and leafy garden that can be cared for remotely thanks to Gardena Smart irrigation technology, totally hidden inside the flower boxes.

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  The apartment offers optimum storage space thanks to the abundant custom floor to ceiling furniture, which occupies the perimeter of the envelope and replaces the dividing walls. The cabinets alternate with ivory-white lacquer finishes, which allow the swinging doors to be flush or the sliding doors to be hidden, thus subtly separating the different environments. Both materials combine perfectly with the protected Capri Levantina limestone natural stone that reflects natural light and adds warmth thanks to its rich creamy tone.

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  The project also features Gira’s minimal design E22 light switches, which allow comfortable control over the lighting of different areas, using a variety of direct and indirect light and decorative lamps.

• YLAB Arquitectos Barcelona
• www.ylab.es