Apartment Nowe Orlowo no 3 | Anna Maria Sokolowska Interior Design

There are flats where one glance of a skilful architect can be just enough to work out a functional solution for the entire design. Such was the case with a flat in Nowe Orłowo in Gdynia, to which I assigned a working name 3, as it is now the third out of 7 flats that I am currently working on in this investment. My first phone call with the client was a herald of a somewhat humorous introduction to the project. The client: "We have ordered the floors and the kitchen, I'll send you the materials", and my response: "So you have started the project backwards" and also added a remark about my unclear role in the project, if some of it had already been put into practice. However, much to my delight, the client had chosen beautiful floors indeed, which I would certainly have ordered myself for this project, and luckily, the kitchen had not been ordered yet. When I received the plan of the flat and the kitchen design made by a kitchen studio I knew I could not leave it like that. The developer designed the living section with the kitchen area in the form of an irregular letter L in a manner where the kitchen and the dining rooms were wide and spacious, whereas the area with a TV and a sofa was narrow and running lengthways. My first thought was that such a layout was completely absurd and that these areas should switch places.  My suggestion took the clients by surprise, and when I showed them several inspired ideas they agreed that such a change was indeed critical. From the very beginning the client was against any alterations to the layout of the flat and the installations, yet he had no choice but to accept this particular modification, as he was outvoted not only by the architect, but also by his wife. On account of the fact that the kitchen had to be moved from one end of the flat to the other, a new water and sewage installation was required, which was taken from the bathroom, in the bedroom situated in a close vicinity, behind the wall of the future kitchen. The changes were limited to moving the kitchen and enlarging the daughter's room at the expense of a strangely situated recess in the hall, which allowed for the main hall to be wide and have a uniform wall structure. 

The area of the flat is around 140 m2 and it has 4 rooms. On entering the flat we stand in a spacious hall from which all the rooms of the flat can be accessed. The hall is directly connected with the open space of children's room together with the sitting and TV area, as well as the smaller part with a kitchen and a dining room. On account of the fact that the flat is on the ground floor we can access the terrace from both sides, which is additionally covered with a system of folded glass walls, which gives us additional space with temperature rising above the outside temperature. The living room is a space with a large and comfortable corner sofa and TV furniture entirely closed by fronts. High speakers are hidden behind the side fronts – a perfect place to hide equipment so that the space retains clearness and simplicity. Additionally, the corner sofa next to the wardrobe is complemented with an interestingly designed bookcase. The whole is complete with the colour of the carpet. The floor is yet another element that combines the spaces and makes all formal divisions disappear. Kitchen is essentially made up of glass combinations. Dark graphite kitchen fronts made of matt glass that produces an incredible effect. Additionally, on the wall over the top, glass panes painted white with LED spot lights from Delta light solutions have been installed. The hanging hood has also been finished with glass elements, which makes up a whole composition with the wall and the top. The kitchen space is complete with an oak-top table with steel skids painted white, and mannequin iker chairs. Black spotlight fixtures and black delta light lighting panels built into the ceiling provide minimalist illumination which complements the simplicity of the arrangement.

The remaining rooms, which can be accessed from the hall, include a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and a wardrobe, next to the entrance, daughter's room, guest/daughter's bathroom and a study. Private space of the owners is comprised of the master bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and large wardrobe space. The wardrobes opposite the bathroom have mirror fronts so that the passage space in a relatively narrow vestibule is optically enlarged, the remaining fronts in the bedroom part with the bed have grey MDF board fronts with milled wooden handles. A regularly-shaped bedroom has only the most basic equipment.  The main space is occupied by the bed, which is complemented by low bedside tables. Ornamental elements that make the whole complete include a wallpaper, and amazingly shaped lamps hanging on both sides of the bed. Their colours break the simplicity of colours used both in the room and the bathroom. The room is rather small but fully functional with a shower, toilet and washbasin. The shower cubicle without a shower bath with a fitted door, finished with white and grey mosaic. The entire concept is kept in shades of grey, but it is not overwhelming. Wooden doors and drawer fronts under the washbasin add warmth to the small room.

The room that had its space expanded by the wall being moved is the daughter's room. At the time it was designed she was only 2 years old. The room is bright and spacious as it is a corner room on 2 walls. From this room the garden can also be accessed and in summer vegetation literally pours into the room. Hence the wall between the windows is stressed with plant and bird themes, and the colour from the photo wallpaper was moved to the sides so that the wall with the windows and the photo wallpaper formed one whole. The colours used in the remaining part of the room are in line with the colours used in the entire flat. A large and roomy wardrobe that forms one surface with the entrance door hides all the clothes, the finishing of the wardrobe and the door is made with the same oak veneer, the undercutting of the handles in the wardrobe has white finishing. Additionally, there are 2 roomy wardrobes on two sides of the bed, with grey fronts and milled handles with wooden finishing. The parents insisted on a large bed so that one of them could sleep with the daughter. A Hay carpet, in line with the carpet from the living room.

Next door to the daughter's room is a bathroom, which also plays the role of a guest bathroom. The exceptional tiles here are the Ornamenta brand. The basic tile reminds wrapping paper, and the illusion of paper finishing is incredible. It is hard to believe that it is ceramic. The bathroom comprises a blend of brown, wood and white. White Gessi fixtures are perfectly matched with the colour concept of the interior, and so is the white radiator blended into a white wall. A low shelf with a seat is used as an ancillary piece of furniture that makes the evening rituals much easier, but it also contains drawers for underwear. The opposite white wall includes shelves over the toilet and furniture with a washing machine and detergents inside. Round mirrors over the tub provide an interesting ornamental touch. They introduce some child humour into the interior.