00:01The conceptual design of this apartment was a blank canvas.
00:06Since I'm an artist too, I wanted to create a space where I can add colors and modify the atmospheres.
00:15I was inspired by Pierre Soulage and his work,
00:19and wanted to create a space that is a play with the light reflecting off of different textures of white.
00:25My name is Karina Hovorko, I'm an architect and artist and the founder of Studio Hoca in Amsterdam.
00:41The apartment is located in the old town of Warsaw in Poland.
00:47The building was a warehouse before the Second World War in the 40s
00:52and was transformed into a residential building after it to address the housing crisis at that time.
01:02This apartment had a very typical post-war layout and was not renovated for years.
01:09Before my renovation, there was just one open room, a bathroom and no real space for the kitchen.
01:16During the renovation, the full ceiling was dismantled, which opened up a space of more than one and a half
01:23meters.
01:23It gave us an opportunity to add a mezzanine for sleeping and working.
01:30The entrance is at the start of a small corridor.
01:35There is a small closet for shoes and bags on one side, and a larger closet for the long coats
01:43on the other.
01:44This is also where the washing machine is hidden.
01:49When we enter the living space, we can see two big windows.
01:54The windows bring in a lot of natural light, which is great for a small space.
01:59The floor is a natural herringbone, which looks great against the white of the apartment.
02:07There is a decorative tall shelf with an optional place for a TV.
02:13The shelf was designed to store little objects and paintings.
02:19I like to think of it as a bookshelf for art.
02:23There is a light pastel pink sofa along the wall, which can become as per guest bed.
02:31Above it, on the wall, it's one of my own paintings.
02:38The kitchen is under the mezzanine next to the stairs.
02:42It can be hidden behind a curtain to quickly hide the mess when needed.
02:48It has a large sink, a hidden dishwasher, an oven, an induction cooktop and some storage above and below.
02:58The space under the staircase provides plenty of storage.
03:03It also hides a fridge and a dining table.
03:07The dining table magically slides out from under the staircase.
03:17On the top of the staircase, it's the mezzanine.
03:22This is the sleeping and the small office area.
03:27There is a small bookshelf next to it and a big wardrobe for closing.
03:34Next to the handrail, there is a desk that can fold out where I can sit and work.
03:40It is one of my favourite places.
03:44I have a beautiful view over the greenery and the beautiful sky while I work.
03:54The bathroom is through the corridor.
03:57The tiles are a visual continuation of the flooring in the rest of the apartment.
04:03They have rigid pieces that look like parts of wood.
04:08Integrated, windy details.
04:11The bathroom looks even bigger thanks to the placement of various mirrors and storage.
04:18The vanity and toilets are floating off the ground to further give a sense of openness.
04:25There is a shower and a toilet with additional storage behind the mirrors.
04:33The important part of this project is the light design that allows having different light ambiences in the upper and
04:42lower space.
04:45The white colour not only makes the space bigger but serves as a base for experimentation.
04:52I can add a mural or a new painting to create a new atmosphere.
04:57It is a costly place to cook, sleep, relax and enjoy the city.
05:02Thanks for watching and if you are an architect or designer with a project we could feature,
05:08please share it with us at nevertosmall.com slash submissions.
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