INTERIOR DESIGN: A FAMILY APARTMENT IN ZAGREB

60m2 for a family of four

One of our recent interior design projects was for a 60m² apartment, for a family of four. The apartment was in a building dating from 1968, in the Zagreb city center.

The original layout had only one bedroom, with separate dining and living rooms. Certain modifications were needed to accommodate a family with two children. The skeleton of the building had very few load-bearing walls. This was actually an advantage for the designer whose main goal was to obtain one additional bedroom and retain as much of the remaining space for the kitchen, dining, and living area.

Kitchen, dining and living area were joined into one unit. A separate small office space was also fit into it. The living area extended into the space of a former balcony. The balcony had been closed off long ago. It was legalized in the meantime as a closed internal part of the apartment.
Corridor was reduced to a minimum, with one part it closed off into one extra storage space containing washing and drying appliances.

Modern design, Scandinavian style

The task of the architect on this assignment was to create the conceptual, main and detailed design with all the specifics, from changes to the floor-plan and spatial organization to the disposition of the alcoves. The architect was also responsible for designing the built-in closets, choosing the materials and creating the cost estimate.

The investor desired a modern apartment suitable for the needs of a young family. However, the architect was given great freedom to choose the style. Due to the light colors and simplicity of space and furniture, the style could be described as Scandinavian. However, that was not an explicit request of the investor. The materials and the equipment used can be considered to be of the mid-price range without any ostentation. Still, the space gives an air of luxury. Finally, the brightness, connectedness, and reduction of corridors to a minimum all make the apartment seem much bigger than it actually is. The 60m² space thus contains a well-equipped kitchen, dining and living area, and two bedrooms. It also has an additional storage unit and a workspace. The pictures and floor plans of the apartment before and after the refurbishment can be seen in the gallery below.

*The apartment is very cozy because of the building itself, despite the fact that it was built a rather long time ago, employed high-quality construction and excellent thermal insulation and soundproofing. During the refurbishment, the apartment was additionally insulated and supplied with high-quality windows and doors. All of the above, and its position between other apartments – qualify this apartment for a high energy efficiency class B.