1920s Apartment Renovation in Madrid by Estudio Reciente.

Estudio Reciente have designed an apartment full of clandestine surprises, located on the third floor of a unique Madrid block built in 1927 by architect Luis Ferrero. In contrast to the regionalist style of the building’s façade, the designers took inspiration from The Sonneveld House by Johannes Brinkman, injecting a healthy dose of contrasting colours and materials to the interior.

Chamfered in plan and with 5 balconies to the street, the home was originally organised as two small rooms, a dining room, living room, kitchen and bathroom. Estudio Reciente took a more contemporary approach to prioritise the home’s social spaces. The dining, living and kitchen have been united into a single 45sqm room, characterised by being the only one with walls painted in a neutral, light beige base. The designers opted for a subtle green lime mortar floor. Coupled with metal columns, a bright red curtain partition and bold furniture, the interior generates a dynamic atmosphere with a strong but well-balanced sense of colour.

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The kitchen, partially hidden behind a mirror panel housing tall elements like the refrigerator, oven and pantry, stands out in the space by becoming camouflaged with its arresting reflection. Burgundy floor and wall tiles and kitchen cabinetry peek out behind the mirror while the utility objects, like stove and sink, remain out of sight.

“A double circulation is generated allowing the kitchen to be functionally integrated with the dining room, but let’s only see what interests us,” explains the design team.

With 2.8-metre high ceilings, the team used the volume to their advantage by amplifying the sense of spaciousness, articulating the bathroom combined with storage at the entrance, located within a lower volume. Hidden behind the panelling in cherry wood is access to the bathroom and the doors to two closets.

The bathroom is conceived in a green-blue, directly relating to the shade seen at the entrance. Playing with different colour relationships between the spaces, the ceiling is the same colour as the walls of the room, but in a high-gloss finish, generating an interesting interaction with the natural light from the large window overlooking the patio. From a practical standpoint, the toilet and shower are out of line-of-sight to the sink, allowing their simultaneous use.

Finally, the bedroom, the warmest and most welcoming space in the house, is where the use of colour becomes the protagonist. In this refuge, the blue colour of the carpet blends with the green of the custom-made wardrobes, while terracotta bedding sits in conversation with maroon seen on bedside tables. Through almost-neutral butter yellow walls and indirect lighting, a sense of jubilant calm is achieved to help facilitate rest.

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[Images courtesy of Estudio Reciente. Photography by Germán Saiz.]