Practical features, a subdued palette with colourful decorative accents and space for entertaining define this 140-square-metre Warsaw apartment. Piotr Łucyan, owner of Art’Up Interiors, designed it for a bachelor who wanted comfort and good design; it later proved just as well suited to life as a couple. The apartment was photographed by Ład Studio.
A home designed around guests
The owner, who was single at the time, loves music, cinema, design and entertaining. He commissioned Piotr Łucyan of Art’Up Interiors to design the whole apartment as a comfortable home with good furniture and fittings. His priorities included space for parties with friends, built-in shelving for the books he wanted close at hand, a large walk-in wardrobe and a clear separation between the living and private areas. He also wanted the kitchen cabinets and island finished in dark MDF. Beyond these requirements, he gave the designer a free hand.
“The apartment was to be adapted for having friends over,” Łucyan recalls of their initial conversation. “The client wanted an open living area, a large dining table and comfortable sofas, but also an island, which usually becomes the centre of any party.”
Walnut veneer and a colourful mosaic
A T-shaped hall is lined with elegant American walnut veneer. Matching veneered doors conceal a convenient wardrobe and the entrances to the bedroom, guest room, guest bathroom and laundry. At the end of the corridor, the owner’s bedroom opens through double doors into a comfortable, bright walk-in wardrobe. A second matching pair leads into the main bathroom.
On the other side of the entrance is the apartment’s living area, where the sitting room, dining space and open-plan kitchen come together. The generous kitchen is the first feature to draw the eye, appearing ideally suited to cooking with friends. Anthracite semi-matt MDF cabinet fronts complement a brushed, satin-finished granite worktop. One wall is decorated with the Luisiana mosaic, designed by Alessandro Mendini for Bisazza. This strong accent of colour initially gave the owner pause but is now one of his favourite decorative features. It is reportedly also a favourite backdrop for guests’ photographs at parties.
“I really wanted to break up the monochrome interior with a strong accent of colour, and this kitchen was simply made for that mosaic,” says Łucyan. “Besides, it’s no secret that I love mosaics. If I didn’t approach every project so individually, they would appear in every interior I design,” he adds with a laugh.
Large-format Ava Absolute Black floor slabs distinguish the kitchen area. A group of three Cosmos lights by Spanish brand Vibia emphasises the island as its centre. On the living-room side, a vertical garden marks the edge of the kitchen. This wall of plants, an unusual feature in a private home, brightens the dark cabinetry.
A dining table for 10 and playful lighting
The dining area sits directly beside the kitchen. Its principal feature is a table by Czech brand Ton, which comfortably seats up to 10 people when extended. Shell chairs by Vitra surround it in muted purple, dark red, navy and green. Above hangs the impressive Mondrian Glass lamp by Venicem, designed by Massimo Tonetto. The sitting area, meanwhile, is arranged around shelving that Łucyan designed specifically for the apartment.
“The shelving is my own design. I began drawing it with all the client’s books in mind. I also designed closed cupboards, one of which conceals a bar. Then I decided the whole piece looked too serious, even boring. So I slipped in something more relaxed, a little design joke: Karman lights that break up the monotony of the shelves and cupboards,” the designer recalls.
The dimmable “Newtonian” bulbs [?] create an appealing effect during gatherings on the BoConcept sofas. Two coffee tables with stone tops stand beside the seating. One is by Draenert; the other is the striking glass Bell table by Classicon. Both brands are German.
A private suite at the opposite end
As the owner requested, the bedroom, walk-in wardrobe and bathroom are separated from the living area at the opposite end of the apartment. Both the wardrobe and main bathroom can be reached only through the bedroom. This layout provides real privacy.
The bedroom contains a comfortable bed from Fabryka Sypialni, bedside tables designed by Łucyan and a BoConcept desk. A television is integrated into a shelving unit. Bang & Olufsen speakers and IC lights by Flos complete the room. The flooring here differs from that in the living area: its darker tone was chosen to make the bedroom cosier and, with the curtains drawn, conducive to rest.
Design classics and bathroom mosaics
The apartment features several lamps that have become design classics. At the entrance, the Taccia by the Castiglioni brothers for Flos welcomes guests and sets the tone for the interior. Playful animal-trophy lights by Karman establish the mood in the seating area. Decorative lighting is supplemented by technical fittings from Labra. Sockets and switches are decorative elements in their own right: they are classic Jung LS 990 models, a series designed in the 1940s [?].
The apartment has two bathrooms, including the private one accessed through the bedroom. In the guest bathroom, another Bisazza mosaic forms the main decorative feature. It sets the tone of the room and complements the Gessi fittings and Laufen basin.
“I’m pleased with the design of this interior,” says Piotr Łucyan. “All the ideas for organising the space proved practical and visually appealing. The apartment itself, designed for one person, turned out to be just as comfortable a home for a couple.”
Products used in the project
- Luisiana mosaic, designed by Alessandro Mendini – Bisazza
- Absolute Black large-format floor slabs – Ava
- Cosmos pendant lights – Vibia
- Extending dining table – Ton
- Shell dining chairs – Vitra
- Mondrian Glass light, designed by Massimo Tonetto – Venicem
- Animal-trophy lights – Karman
- Sofas – BoConcept
- Coffee table – Draenert
- Bell table – Classicon
- Bed – Fabryka Sypialni
- Bedroom desk – BoConcept
- Speakers – Bang & Olufsen
- IC lights – Flos
- Taccia light, designed by the Castiglioni brothers – Flos
- Technical lighting – Labra
- LS 990 sockets and switches – Jung
- Guest-bathroom mosaic – Bisazza
- Bathroom fittings – Gessi
- Washbasin – Laufen
A home for entertaining needs generous shared spaces and a considered private retreat. Explore more projects by Piotr Łucyan of Art’Up Interiors on his PLNDesign profile and get in touch by email, phone, website or social media, whichever suits you best.
See also:
- Patagonia sintered stone clads a kitchen in Gdynia, Poland
- AsiaDESIGN pairs art deco details with oak in a Warsaw flat
