A very simple apartment

This micro apartment (18m2 + gallery bed) came out of a complete renovation, with simplicity as the key word.

Due to finances and worldviews, the initial agreement with the client was that there shouldn't be any works that are not necessary, and yet that all necessary works would be done thoroughly. The apartment should be practical, light, comfortable and aesthetically simple (but within what is popular today, so that it can be rented).

The existing condition was the opposite: The space next to the window was eaten up by a micro kitchen; The bathroom was small and in the middle of the apartment; The bigger room was completely dark. The floor was totally worn out and uneven. The ceiling had gotten wet during the renovation of the attic. The wall plaster was in a bad condition, as were the installations.

What did we do? We tore down the partition wall and all the plaster. We placed the light drywalls so that they enclose the new bathroom in the corner, as well as to line the wall shared with the neighbour, along which were going to place the bed and the TV (to provide soundproofing and take care of the big bumps in the wall). We scraped the other brick walls and painted them white. The wiring and plumbing was installed visibly on top of the bricks (beautiful and digging-free), and invisibly within drywalls. We removed the flooring and the top layer of the sand and installed lightweight dry screed that evened out the floor and allowed us to install wonderful wooden flooring. We took down the moist suspended ceiling and installed a new white one to give calm to the space. We put the bed onto a very simple steel structure, creating a wardrobe underneath. The staircase is also in steel, with oak pads. We replaced the old window and door and created a nice window board for sitting. In collaboration with the client, we made a practical layout of the bathroom and the kitchen and advised her about furniture (she is very good at furnishing).

What did we achieve? We got a bright living space near the big window filling the apartment with morning sunshine and providing a view of Zagreb's rooftops. The spatiousness is bigger than square metreage because the space is high, but also because the bathroom walls don't reach the ceiling, so that the bathroom seems like a box inserted into a big living space that encompasses the entire apartment. However, the bathroom is tall (taller than necessary) because that creates an intimate sleeping niche, so that one can retreat to a safe and soft place. At the same time, the niche isn't claustrophobic because from the bed's edge we can see the whole apartment and more (through the window).

The collaboration was intense, constructive and pleasant. The builders did good work and consulted and coordinated with one another. We are all happy with the result. Simple ;)

And the price? All expenses, from the first demolition works to the vase on the table, including architectural design and consulting, came up to €16.000+vat, that is €760/m2 + vat. For such a thorough renovation of such a small apartment, very good.