Apartment Renovation G&D, Rome

Client: Private

Type: Apartment Renovation 

Size: 52sqm

Status: Built

Photos: Behbahani Hall

A low budget ‘design + construct’ renovation of a small one-bedroom apartment, which reconfigures the existing layouts and utilizes the wasted corridor space to gain a second bedroom and create a contemporary home for a young couple.

Our clients purchased a neglected one-bedroom apartment with the idea of using the money that they had saved on the purchase to transform it into a contemporary home more in keeping with their own tastes.  

We were appointed to provide our special ‘design+construct’ service to carry out all of the design and construction services in one single package, providing benefits of time and cost savings, and increased quality assurance through our ‘hands on’ control of every stage of the project.

The existing layout of the apartment comprised of four separate rooms with a large central area of redundant corridor space, the light filled living room was too small in relation to the bedroom, the bathroom was derelict, and all of the existing services needed to be replaced. Despite the small budget and the amount of work required, we could see great potential for improvement. Our main aim was to re-address the balance in the sizes of the rooms and break down the contained cellular nature of the floor plan to create a series of open interconnected spaces.

As well as carrying out a comprehensive refurbishment, we reconfigured the existing walls slightly to create a large open plan living / kitchen / dining area. A new kitchen was relocated into the centre of the apartment to utilize the wasteful corridor space, which enabled us transform the old kitchen into a baby sized second bedroom. A timber lined ‘niche’ space was created to circumnavigate the new kitchen, and provide a new connection between the entrance, bedrooms and living area. The niche feels less like a corridor and more like and extension of the kitchen space, which enhances the perception of openness in the apartment.

Because of the tight budget we proposed that applied finishes should be economical and durable, and that where possible the construction materials used should be left raw and honest, to provide richness and character, a refined but slightly industrial warehouse aesthetic, which the clients liked. The new wall forming the central kitchen and rear wall of the living area was left as rough textured blockwork, painted black; a bold new defining form in the centre of the apartment. In contrast, large slate grey porcelain tiles line the kitchen counters and provide a refined finish for food preparation. The timber linings of the niche and kitchen storage cupboards are varnished MDF panels, and rough white ash floorboards run throughout to balance the tonal palette and allow light to reflect through the interior.

The bathroom provided a moment of intense richness and minimal luxury; walls and shower enclosure are finished with dark brown polished plaster, a rough black textured floor tile adds to the intensity and a counter of rich oiled iroko is set against a delicate white ceramic washbasin.