There were two main requests the clients (a young couple) had for this apartment:
- Have a designated office area, because they work from home.
- Lots of colour, but without going overboard.
- Lots of storage space – I guess there were actually 3 main requests 🙂
Throughout the discussions we had, other things come up too, like:
- importance of the kitchen, because they cook a lot,
- providing space for the many books, board games and collections they both had,
- that it would be nice for her to have a make-up table somewhere,
- a little spot for a dog bed (they have a cute tiny dog),
- did I mention lots of storage space?
This kind of bits and pieces of information help tremendously in crafting an interior design project exactly to the clients’ needs. I love getting to know my clients, and the sooner it happens in the design process, the better. Actually, when I was studying Architecture I used to be annoyed by the “constraints” we were given with the project theme. I was longing to do “what I wanted, freely”. Guess what? Having no constraints to a project is the hardest thing to do, because you’re facing an infinity of possible decisions, which is exhausting.
Basically, when I have a project theme (which in designing homes it implies what the client wants, needs and what is possible with the available space and budget), I have a problem that can be solved. No theme, no problem to solve, no project 🙂
Anyway, I digress. Bottom line is: I had to come up with an interior design project for a relatively small, 2-room apartment located in Oradea, Romania, with lots to fit inside it, while making it work nicely together.
So, the approach here was room by room, seeing how we can get the most out of every available inch of space.
First, the living room was long enough to be divided in two areas: an office space with closed storage above it, separated from the TV & relaxing area with the help of a double-side facing bookcase. The TV area features a large closed low furniture that acts as a support for the Playstations and hides inside it board games, cables, etc. In the corner, nearby the window, we found the space for a minimal make-up table, with a hidden mirror.
There might have been enough space to integrate more storage space but the trick here was to not feel crammed by furniture. We still needed to have room to breathe, have some empty areas, have enough space to move around freely.
For the kitchen we maximized the storage space all the way up to the ceilings and, because the length permitted, added an additional countertop area under the window.
The bedroom was the smallest room to work with. There was enough space only for a sliding-doors wardrobe and, additionally, the mattress can be lifted to access the empty space under the bed.
The bathroom was also quite limited in terms of space, so we optimized every inch as we could: closed storage above the wc and under the sink. On the left side of the sink, inside the storage, we hid the laundry basket.
Lastly, the entrance hallway, where the washer & dryer hide inside the main wardrobe. We didn’t want to sacrifice a large space for a bench (otherwise there was no storage for clothing left), so we opted for a rounded pouf in a corner, to help when sitting is needed.
As for the colours, the general palette revolved around shades of blue, pink and yellow. For the blue & pink we went with pastels (I love how serene the bedroom feels!), whereas we included a stronger yellow mostly in accessories and pieces of furniture that are easier to be changed (like the sofa, that really makes the whole living room area pop).
