00:02We wanted to take advantage of natural light in this small apartment by keeping
00:07the spaces as open as possible. Another important part of this project was to
00:13create spaces that would flow effortlessly into one another, both in
00:18function and in design. My name is Jorge Nunez, I'm an interior designer and I'm
00:26Aileen Nunez, an artist and designer. We are founders of Studio Madera, an interior
00:31design studio based in Madrid, Spain. Evo is a translator and works from home.
00:39She wanted a home office area with lots of storage space. She also likes music and
00:45wanted some space for her guitar. She asked us to also take into account her
00:51cat's needs, giving him a designated area for his litter tray.
01:04It's an old neighbourhood with a lot of diversity. Around here you can find many
01:09old Spanish shops, bars and restaurants. It's also a short walk to the Museo Reina Sofia,
01:16an important art museum, and La Casa Encendida, an art and culture centre.
01:23We took inspiration from the Japanese shoji room dividers. The concept being, they are sliding
01:29partitions. When closed, they provide privacy and when open, they unify spaces.
01:38The apartment had undergone a renovation in the 90s, so it was very outdated in design.
01:45There was hardly any storage space, in general, in the apartment. Although it had windows in
01:50every space, it felt a little dark and pokey. The first thing we did was remove most of the walls.
01:58Then we built a new dividing wall. This new configuration allowed us to add storage and to
02:04create the office with even more storage. We were able to move the washing machine and the boiler from
02:10the kitchen to the bathroom. This allowed us to add a small dishwasher and create more cupboard space in the
02:15kitchen.
02:19The building was built in the 1900s. It's a traditional corrala style building, which is a residential complex, typical in
02:27Madrid at the time.
02:28It's made up of small dwellings that open onto a large communal interior courtyard.
02:35It's a mixed community of small families, young professionals and older residents.
02:42By the entrance, there is a custom-made closet for coats and other items.
02:49And a shelving unit with a built-in drawer for placing keys or storing small items.
02:56The electric panel and the intercom buzzer is concealed behind a wooden panel.
03:02Ewa didn't want the litter tray to be in the bathroom.
03:05There is a special made entrance in the closet door for Morgan, where his litter tray is kept out of
03:10sight.
03:14The living space is open to the kitchen, making the area as a whole feel brighter and more spacious.
03:21There is a curtain along the wall which you can close to reduce the bright light from the window.
03:27And it also acts as a decorative textile to soften the wall.
03:32With the changing layout, we were able to accommodate room for a three-seater sofa, without making the space feel
03:39cramped.
03:40We designed a glass panel partition at the rear by the corner, separating the bedroom from the living room.
03:47This gives visual connection between the two spaces and allows light to pass through.
03:53But, at the same time, creates an acoustic barrier between the two areas.
03:58So we found this cabinet called Hi5.
04:02Yeah, it's like a compact, it's like a small compact, multifunctional cabinet that fit in very well with the design
04:09of the flat.
04:11The apartment uses one type of floor. We think this creates a sense of continuity.
04:18We also chose this flooring for its durability, its grid for kitchens and pets.
04:26We designed a U-shaped kitchen, creating a peninsula, which functions as a high dining work table,
04:32where you can prepare food, eat and socialise.
04:36In the peninsula, under the countertop, there are some shelves for placing books or small decorations.
04:45On the back wall, there is a hidden fridge freezer, a ceramic hob, an oven, along with drawers and cabinets.
04:52All custom made.
04:55The upper cabinets in the corner were designed at an angle to not interfere with the existing window.
05:02LED lighting runs along the bottom of the upper cupboards to illuminate the countertop.
05:08We chose light grey and veneered oak wood cabinetry.
05:14We also integrated the appliances to create a clean and modern kitchen.
05:20It's always nice to put some kind of decoration to make it feel more your home, right?
05:26So we found these really, really light, really thin shelves that were from T-Books.
05:32But they're really nice because they're so thin and they're so light.
05:36So if you don't have anything on them, they just kind of disappear.
05:40The ceiling lamps or the pendant lamps are from the same brand of the table.
05:45So it lights up the working area or when you're eating,
05:48it lights up so you can see what you're eating or what you're doing.
05:57The bedroom and home office is behind a wooden sliding door.
06:02We created a warm and serene bedroom with a neutral palette reflected throughout the apartment.
06:08There is a double bed with a custom made headboard.
06:12There is a small building shelf on one side.
06:15There are different lamps on each side of the bed for reading or for providing ambient lighting.
06:24The glass panel partition from the living room is on the opposite wall to the headboard.
06:29So from the bed, you can see through it, which gives more depth visually to the space.
06:37A custom made wardrobe separates these two spaces.
06:41It doesn't reach full ceiling height, allowing light to pass over.
06:46More than the cat has found his favourite spot on top of this wardrobe.
06:52On the end of the wardrobe, there is a fitted mirror adding to the dressing area.
06:57The back part of the wardrobe, which faces the home office area,
07:01is lined with cork to soften the space.
07:04It can also be used as a pinboard.
07:08There is a window on the side of the desk, which makes the space feel more open.
07:13We continued the headboard from the bedroom side through the office.
07:17It also frames the desk area.
07:20A custom desk has a floor-to-ceiling shelf of books, a printer, and other work-related items.
07:27Beside it is another wardrobe for clothes.
07:34The bathroom door is aligned with the bedroom office door, so that when they're both open,
07:38you have a visual line from each space to the other, giving a sense of openness.
07:44We used a porcelain tile with a stone effect in light grey-beige tone,
07:49along with natural veneered oak for the cabinetry, creating a light and warm space.
07:55There is a window that opens onto the interior courtyard, and a blind for privacy.
08:02There is a toilet, a shower, and a sink.
08:06Despite its small footprint, we were able to fit in the washing machine and the boiler
08:10by designing custom-made cabinetry, which includes some shelves and cupboards.
08:18Wood panelling in a light green grey is used on the entrance door and wall,
08:22continuing onto the side wall, where the bathroom door is.
08:27This was designed to integrate the spaces and to make the doors visually less obvious.
08:36There are so many interesting small spaces in urban areas that are used for storage and other purposes.
08:45Repurposing these for living brings people, life, and communities, which is important for urban areas.
08:54Thank you very much.
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