00:02Our aim was to design a space that appears bigger than it is.
00:06We admire works of modern Belgian architects who are able to create simple interiors but with a twist.
00:14The choice of materials, colors and textures can create an atmosphere that appeals to all of our senses.
00:26I'm Karolina Chodur.
00:28I'm Elvina Borowicz.
00:29We are architects from Figalopu Studio in Poland.
00:40The building is located in Krakow, Poland, near the city center in PodgĂłrze.
00:47After many years of negligence, this part of the city is experiencing a kind of renaissance.
00:53It's a very walkable neighborhood with many cafes and restaurants and has a small town vibe inside a bigger city.
01:02I enjoy living here with my partner and my dog Vihura.
01:08When we first saw the flat, we fell in love with the windows and the feeling of light in the
01:13space.
01:16There was a kitchen, bathroom, a large open space and a balcony.
01:22Our goal was to make the living room area as spacious as possible.
01:26Then it was important to divide it into some smaller and comfortable zones, but without adding any new walls.
01:34We didn't change the floor plan.
01:36Instead, we chose to use furniture to divide the space.
01:40We used a large shelf to separate the living and the sleeping areas.
01:44We wanted to add furniture that can be moved around freely and not fixed to the walls.
01:49This gives us more options to make changes to the layout in the future.
01:55The first thing you see when entering the flat is with an oak dresser and plants,
02:00and a large print above it which sets the tone of the flat.
02:04There's a niche for everyday storage and shoes.
02:07A softly shaped mirror reflects the cozy living area and on the wall we put an oak shelf for keys
02:13and a few wooden hangers for hanging up a handbag or displaying some nice decorations.
02:18There are great tiles here to define the entrance zone.
02:22The rest of the flat is oak parquet.
02:25Wood on the floor gives us a warm feeling under your feet.
02:30We expanded the living room area as much as possible.
02:35The main piece of furniture here is the floor to ceiling shelf.
02:41We customized an IKEA bookshelf with custom made doors, steel frame and white melamine and birch plywood for the shelves.
02:49The lower part can be accessed from both the living room and the bedroom.
02:55The shelf has a ceiling mounted projector screen which can be pulled down when we have movie nights.
03:03It was important to design the main lighting in such a way that it did not mark the exact location
03:09of the furniture below.
03:10We decided to use spot lamps that can be added and moved when needed.
03:16In addition, there are several smaller lamps to create a cozy atmosphere in the evening.
03:24At the end of the flat there is a long balcony that has entrances from the living room and bedroom.
03:34The armchairs can be brought inside for extra seating.
03:43The kitchen is finished in white so it can blend in with the walls of the flat and become a
03:49neutral backdrop.
03:51There is an induction hub, dishwasher, granite sink, fridge and oak countertop.
04:00There is an additional countertop in front of the window.
04:05A centrally placed green table can sit up to four people.
04:10The round shape allows you to walk freely from the kitchen to the living room on any side.
04:18The bed is located on the other side of the bookcase and is integrated with it.
04:24The bed frame sits high from the floor.
04:26This allows easy access to plenty of space for storage beneath.
04:30On the lower part some cabinets can be opened only from the living room,
04:35but one of them works as bedside table but also as a fan window between two zones.
04:42There is a small workspace by the bed.
04:44A small plug-in pendant lamp is suspended from the ceiling.
04:48It's an easy way to add some lights and can be done without a professional.
04:53The desk folds down and when it's not used it works as a small shelf to display our things.
05:02The design of the bathroom is quite simple with its white tiling on the walls,
05:06a base grey tiles on the floor.
05:09Below the wash basin there is a washer dryer and storage.
05:13There is a decorative rounded corner mirror which softens the basic look of a bathroom.
05:19Above the toilet there is a niche that acts as a shelf for essential cosmetics.
05:28Everything is kept in a light coral palette complemented by a warm wooden floor base.
05:36We designed it to be a subtle and warm space so that the residents can fill it with their books,
05:42prints and personal items.
05:45By creating dwellings such as the building this flood is in there is a possibility to recover neglected parts of
05:51neighbourhoods across the city and bring more life into the area.
05:55New buildings in the inner city helps the area to develop and attract new residents.
06:01We are aware of the risk of gentrification but if it's designed well the whole neighbourhood can benefit.
06:09We are aware of the risk of gentrification.
06:18We are the risk of gentrification but if it's going too much as a end our area is intact.
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