00:01When I first walked into the apartment it was so dark I could hardly see the
00:05interior without switching the lights on. No one lived in the apartment for many
00:11years so it was in a very bad condition. The idea was to create a flexible and
00:17comfortable space with its own personality. We wanted to bring in light
00:21and color make the space suitable for a young person to inhabit it. The owner of
00:27the apartment, Carmen, she used to live in Athens but she now rents the apartment
00:31to Takis, a young designer who has lived in the apartment for a few years. My name
00:37is Federica, I'm from Italy and I currently live and work in Athens as a
00:41freelance architect and illustrator.
00:48The apartment is located in Exarchia in the center of Athens. This neighborhood is
00:55well-known for its cultural scene and historical and political significance.
01:00It often attracts young people, students, artists and also tourists.
01:07It was built in the 60s and is located on the ground floor of a Polykatechia which is
01:13the typical type of residential building in Athens.
01:19Carmen's brief was for the space to be flexible, more open and comfortable to live in.
01:26The original layout consisted of four rooms.
01:30The overall atmosphere felt claustrophobic and the flow between spaces was disjointed and confusing.
01:38Since the first priority was to maximize the natural light distribution,
01:42we decided to create an open plan. We demolished most of the interior walls and we re-adjusted all
01:48the layout, except for the bathroom which stayed in its original position but it was completely restyled.
01:54The kitchen was moved to the other side of the apartment and is now a lot bigger,
01:58brighter and functional. In its place we created a compact bedroom with a tiny office
02:04that can quickly disappear behind the curtain wall. This solution allowed us to optimize the footprint of
02:10the living space while also keeping visual privacy between the two areas.
02:19At the entrance of the apartment there is a small nook with a custom-made closet.
02:24It also serves as a storage for the entrance and hides some of the apartment services.
02:30The closet doors are mirrored so you can check your outfit,
02:34but also helps to reflect even more light in the entrance. Between the entrance and the kitchen,
02:41the demolition of an old storage revealed a hidden curved wall from the building staircase.
02:48We kept it because we loved the look it gives to the entrance.
02:53It also inspired me to smooth the opposite corner of the kitchen counter.
02:58From the start, Carmen requested a fully equipped kitchen in a calm neutral color palette.
03:06As the ceiling is 3 meters high, I designed narrow cabinets to emphasize the tall ceiling
03:13and to leave space above to place plants and other items.
03:18The kitchen is L-shaped and wraps around the window so you can look out at the courtyard while using
03:24the sink.
03:25We chose a custom cream varnish for the cabinets and a Portuguese pink marble for the countertop.
03:32Instead of handles for the cabinets, we chose circle cutouts.
03:36This also helps to give the kitchen a clean, compact look.
03:42A lead was added under the cabinets to serve both as a practical light
03:47and as ambient lighting in the evenings.
03:49I chose a round dining table as it was the most flexible option and it doesn't impose on the space.
03:57On the table, I chose a green pendant to sit in the middle of the kitchen.
04:05The living room is an open space together with the kitchen and the dining.
04:10I wanted to create a flexible space so Carmen and now Takis can use space how they prefer.
04:18Takis added a beanbag chair and made the coffee table from one large piece of tile and concrete blocks for
04:23the base.
04:25Having all these elements sit lower to the ground helps to make the space feel more spacious and visually less
04:32obstructive.
04:36He also added a small projector that he places on the coffee table and projects onto the bedroom wall.
04:44We introduced glass brick partitions on the main facade to bring in more natural light.
04:50We chose to use green for the window to recall the original shutter's color
04:55and also to frame even more the view of the plants outside.
05:03Given the size of the apartment, we decided to prioritize the living area
05:07and to shrink the typical bedroom into an alcove.
05:12I designed the bedroom to have the mattress sit directly on the raised platform
05:16to keep the space minimal, low and uncluttered.
05:21I mixed open shelves with closed panels and perforated sliding doors to diversify the storage
05:27and create a nice background as a headboard.
05:30There are power sockets here for a lamp and to charge your phone.
05:35For the bedroom lighting, we opted for the 30 wall lamps because they are minimal and fun.
05:42We took advantage of the space under the window in the bedroom to create a tiny office
05:48and Takis added an extension to create a workstation.
05:53Some of the pipes from the building heating system run just under our ceiling.
05:58We built a false arch in the bedroom that conceals the pipes
06:02while also framing the space and creating a sense of privacy for the sleeping area.
06:09Just outside the bathroom, I added a built-in storage unit for the water boiler,
06:13the washing machine and cleaning products.
06:18The bathroom doesn't have any windows so my proposal was to emphasize the atmosphere
06:23by choosing a monochromatic approach.
06:26The walls and the floor in the bathroom are in cobalt blue micro-segment
06:31as well as the custom-made sink.
06:35The large mirror above also takes up the entire wall and really helps to open up the space.
06:41The original bathroom had a deep nook where the toilet was.
06:44We decided to reuse this nook to create a walk-in shower.
06:49A wall-lang toilet was chosen to keep the ground free.
06:53It also makes it easier to clean.
06:56The bathroom door is custom-made.
06:58I added portals to the upper section of the door that allows light to pass through
07:03and give a glimpse of the blue behind.
07:06The circular pattern throughout the apartment was a spontaneous design choice
07:11that started with the glass bricks motif.
07:13It reappears in the custom door, furniture details and in the bathroom basin.
07:18And it's a playful touch to tie the space together and give it a distinct personality.
07:25The colour of the living area floor continues outside to the patio
07:29to make it feel more uniform and to create an extension of the living area.
07:35We added lots of plants and some outdoor furniture
07:38so it has become a nice place to have lunch and entertain friends.
07:49I think that to reuse and refurbish small spaces
07:53in the centre of the cities allows us to inhabit them
07:56because now they became too expensive and not affordable anymore.
08:01It's important to reimagine these spaces in a way that is not only functional
08:05but also feels pleasant and flexible.
08:07Which is a fundamental quality when the square meters are limited.
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