This now renovated apartment is located within the Eixample neighbourhood in Alella, a quiet area 15 km. from Barcelona. The clients, a young couple who had been travelling for a while, wanted urgently to reform their 3 room apartment including a total transformation of the tiny bathroom and the kitchen to have more light coming into the space. The flat was untouched for 30 years, reason why we had to re-do the electrics, water- heating installations, pavements, furniture, bathroom, kitchen, replacing 2 windows and isolating all façades using organic cellulose to prevent energy waste.
The first time we visited this apartment, we were impressed by its views from the terrace: a beautiful panoramic of uninterrupted views to the sea. The flat also has 3 open façades facing East, North and West, which means 18 hours of light and air circulation. As a solution, we opted for designing an open plan kitchen, giving a twist of creativity converting the old-fashion flat into a modern and sweet place to live in. We preserved the previous distribution of the dwelling being the wider space the kitchen, dining room and living room and the narrower the bathroom and the other 3 rooms.
As the budget was tight, we made ourselves some furniture: we designed two turquoise hexagon stools and recycled some old furniture from previous owners. All collaborators, including builders, electricians, plumbers, painters as well as all materials used were local sourced reason why it helped us reducing costs and time. The clients wanted a minimalistic but modern flat. We kept the wooden pattern floor of the living-dining area -very common in the 60’s in Spain- so we polished it and placed new wooden floors into the kitchen and rooms to create evenness. In the bathroom, we opted for placing porcelain tile flooring creating a geometric and colourful pattern.
As the clients are usual travellers, they wanted a peaceful but cosmopolitan apartment; this is why we used the combination of oak (conveying nature), metal (conveying city) and white paint (conveying calm and peace). We also opted for hiding all kitchen appliances, lighting and electric and water-heating installations. To make both areas look higher and bigger than before, skirting boards and door frames were custom made to have exactly the same dimensions (high and wide) becoming a continuous and subtle element alongside the perimeter of the apartment. As a result we delivered a clean, bright, simple and beautiful place, a combination of what the clients were looking for.
