A family home on the edge of Warsaw's Wilanów district combines a welcoming atmosphere with minimal forms in an interior by Patrycja Żytkowiak-Wenzel of Flat Studio. Designed for her own family, the house supports a balance between remote work, a love of music and time to relax. The 160-square-metre home was photographed by Paweł Biedrzycki of Kąty Proste.
A restrained palette for home and work
Interior architect Patrycja Żytkowiak-Wenzel designed the house's interiors herself before moving in with her husband, dog and cat. From the outset, the couple shared a clear idea of how their new home on the edge of Wilanów should feel. They wanted calm and harmony, combining domestic comfort with simple forms and minimalism. To keep the rooms visually ordered, kitchen cupboards were kept to a minimum, and a Take me Home shelving unit in the living room holds only a selection of albums.
As both the designer and her husband work largely from home, they needed a secluded office upstairs. A subdued palette was chosen to reduce stimulation and help them unwind after creative work. White predominates on the walls, while microcement covers the ground-floor flooring, stairs and bathrooms. Its practicality in a household with animals also helped determine the choice. Generous daylight allowed the couple to use black furniture, with subtle burgundy details punctuating the monochrome scheme.
Polish design and space for music
The furnishings were carefully selected to suit the minimal interior. The first piece chosen was an Ethnicraft television cabinet with carved fronts, from a collection inspired by the Tabwa culture of Central Africa. Japanese-influenced rice-paper lamps are among the other distinctive elements. Polish design is represented by the Taoz table from Swallow’s Tail Furniture, an Umami chest of drawers in the bedroom and an award-winning Giera Design mirror in the bathroom.
Another notable piece is the adjustable-height shelving unit designed by Professor Rajmund Teofil Hałas. Music brought the owners together, and their shared interest meant that every room needed audio equipment, with space also set aside for the husband's guitars and piano. A Panton chair by Vitra stands beside the piano, with a painting by Henadzy Havartsou above it. Ceramics and sculptures by Poland's Studio Lorek provide further individual decorative pieces.
Lighting that softens the minimal interior
Although the house contains numerous works of art and design against a stark white and grey backdrop, the designer found ways to make it feel warm without compromising its minimal character. A lighting scheme offering a choice of different light sources helps create this atmosphere. The bedroom has a Gras reading lamp by DCW Editions and a Kaiser Idell 6556 bedside lamp by Fritz Hansen. A Stemlite by GUBI stands on the chest of drawers, its shade complementing the Cole & Son wallpaper.
The living room also contains several notable lights. In the reading corner, a BS2 Mantis lamp by DCW Editions, designed by Bernard Schottlander, takes inspiration from kinetic sculpture. A Control lamp by Muuto stands on the piano, while a cordless Flowerpot by &Tradition and a Kizu by New Works appear elsewhere in the room.
Products used in the project
- Living-room shelving: Take me Home
- Television cabinet with carved fronts: Ethnicraft, collection inspired by Tabwa culture
- Table: Swallow’s Tail Furniture, Taoz
- Bedroom chest of drawers: Umami
- Bathroom mirror: Giera Design
- Adjustable-height shelving unit: designed by Rajmund Teofil Hałas
- Chair: Vitra, Panton
- Reading lamp: DCW Editions, Gras
- Bedside lamp: Fritz Hansen, Kaiser Idell 6556
- Lamp: GUBI, Stemlite
- Wallpaper: Cole & Son
- Reading-corner lamp: DCW Editions, BS2 Mantis, designed by Bernard Schottlander
- Piano lamp: Muuto, Control
- Cordless lamp: &Tradition, Flowerpot
- Lamp: New Works, Kizu
A home used for remote work also needs room for hobbies and time away from a desk. Explore more interior photography by Paweł Biedrzycki of Kąty Proste on his PLNDesign profile and get in touch by email, phone, website or social media, whichever suits you best.
See also:
- Outline Wnętrza enlarges kitchen in a family home near Wrocław
- A holiday cottage becomes a full-time home for Agata Łysiak’s family
