A Kaleidoscope of Styles: Apartment in Vilnius by Plazma Architecture Studio.

A derelict apartment in Lithuania’s capital Vilnius has been given a major revamp by Plazma Architecture Studio. Located in a 1914 building with early modernist details, the space was acquired by the studio’s partner Gytis Vaitkevičius to be his new family home. Plazma revamped the compact apartment, adapting it to the needs of its inhabitants with a meticulous overhaul.

The kitchen was relocated, finding its new home on the opposite side of the apartment and the studio set about demolishing barriers—quite literally. A partition between the kitchen-to-be and the living room was dismantled, opening the space up to flow seamlessly. Meanwhile, the apartment’s two bathrooms underwent a significant expansion to luxuriously accommodate both a shower and a bathtub.

Preserving the essence of the past, the existing ash parquet—a relic from Soviet times—was revarnished and left untouched, adding a layer of historical continuity to the space. Both bathrooms underwent a metamorphosis, fully clad in sleek grey marble with remnants repurposed to fill the gaps in the existing flooring. The same marble found its way to becoming inner window sills, creating a harmonious thread throughout.

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The new kitchen is now striking in steel, accompanied by an oak dining table by Wolfgang Hartauer for Tecta. Metal beams and a column were added for structural support to preserve the plaster mouldings from the previous Soviet-era reconstruction. Bespoke timber storage units in every room to align functionality with aesthetics and new arched doors, inspired by the existing interior, added an unusual, unique flair.

Art became an integral part of this narrative, with the focus on the local “there are artworks of classic Lithuanian engraver A. Skirutytė and a plaster bas-relief created by J. Vildžiūnas added to the master bedroom,” Gytis elaborates. The apartment is also full of contemporary design, showcasing pieces by luminaries such as Mario Marenco, Ettore Sottsass, Piero and Achille Castiglioni, Gianfranco Frattini, and Poul Cadovius.

What emerged is an interior that serves as a kaleidoscope of styles, seamlessly blending early modernism with contemporary elements. The design ethos centred around the considered curation of eclectic furniture, as Gytis explains: “Each piece was carefully added to avoid the appearance that everything was bought in one time at a shop.” With each element meticulously curated and every detail thoughtfully considered, the result is a home that casually marries elegance with functionality.

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[Images courtesy of Plazma Architecture. Photography by Norbert Tukaj.]