Hype&Hyper

This apartment captures the essence of the 20th century, where contemporary shapes and materials meet classic Polish design.

Just a few minutes’ walk from the Vistula River, this newly renovated 92-square-meter apartment in Warsaw features an interior designed by Kama Chojnowska and Kasia Putka of INSIDEarch architectural studio. The first mood element that defined the apartment’s style was an important piece of Warsaw’s design history: the “Warsaw corsetry”, the most characteristic tiling of the Polish capital’s apartment buildings a hundred years ago. However, this pattern is disappearing due to careless and out-of-style renovations, and many Polish designers have made a conscious effort to keep the tradition alive in recent years. The colors are inspired by the natural light flooding into the apartment, so in addition to classic white walls, mustard, cinnamon brown, and brick red form the basis of the palette, with the occasional sage green thrown in for natural effect.

The most striking feature of the kitchen is the custom-made island, based around a warm-toned, cognac-stained oak veneered cabinet topped with an exciting choice of Costa Smeralda granite countertop, with one side supported by an industrial-looking metal column with a textured lacquer finish to enhance the modern line. The bathroom is also dominated by the corset pattern, but the designers have incorporated two other currently popular trends: terrazzo on the side of the bathtub and a glossy, multi-tonal beige tile with a Zellige-like glow above. The second bathroom also features terrazzo, but is dominated by a huge mirror cut in a semi-circular shape from smoked mirror glass.

The tiling motif is also echoed on the living room walls, where small, bright white ceramics are grouted in a contrasting dark color, also reminiscent of the 20th century and its common tiled stoves. The furnishings also combine the past with the present, with contemporary furniture and a number of smaller and larger vintage pieces, as well as design classics such as Louis Poulsen’s famous PH5 pendant above the dining table. On the other hand, the sofa and the bed in the bedroom are unique pieces, designed by architect Rafek Meble and made especially for this space. To allow the prospective owner to work from the comfort of his home, an office corner was also created in the bedroom, complete with an airy floating desk and a bookshelf, also custom-made.