The charm of Bucharest from days gone by, with that hint of a bygone era, can still be found if you get lost on the side streets in the central areas, away from the noise of a city far too hasty for its own history.
The opening of GaleriaZona Matasari is one of those parts of a Capital with buildings that stand as witness to distant times in the obscurity of history. Fortunately, there are lovers of beauty who understand the architectural value of these buildings and choose to cherish them through reconditioning and rehabilitation without altering the facade and original texture.
Today we introduce you to one of these interwar buildings from 1939, specifically into the space of an apartment of approximately 100 square meters. Architect Alexandru Bucur from Interiology Design Studios was in charge of its design, highlighting its beautiful features and shaping its own personality at the same time.
How did he succeed? He himself confesses: “the space itself gave us the ideas. I am influenced by the space I am about to furnish, I highlight what I see, I polish the existing until I extract the essence.”
The owners, a young, open-minded couple, fans of the Nordic style, gave Alexandru free rein to experiment with unique combinations of wood and metal, with textures and finishes to recreate a contemporary living space adapted to their needs.
Thus, one of the rooms in the apartment which could only be accessed from the staircase and used for storage was integrated into the space and transformed into a dressing room. Another requirement was to have 2 bathrooms, as the apartment had only one.
The solution adopted was the reconfiguration of the entire area of the existing bathroom and a small hallway into 2 well-efficient bathrooms in terms of space (one matrimonial and one for guests).
The heart of the house is represented by an open space containing a dining area, a media area with a television, and a discussion area with a stove – a relaxing element for visits from friends.
The library with storage spaces for books and objects (even firewood which also plays a decorative role) was placed under a decorative arch (an original element of the building), and the open shelves allow glimpses of the texture of the white-painted exposed bricks.
The sofa has a double orientation (one towards the television and one towards the discussion area), being the link between the functions of the living room. It was made (along with the beds in the bedrooms) by the Brasov producer Witz.
The kitchen and bathroom doors, which communicate with the living room, were custom-made, with a hatch and protective bands of stainless steel, in the style of restaurant kitchen doors. In addition to their industrial look, the hatches amplify natural light in the living room.
Wood plays an essential role in the overall decor. The exposed wooden beams have been refurbished; the same essence can be found in the floor (refurbished and installed Brush Antique parquet type plank), in the dining table top (X table, a creation by Alexandru in collaboration with Parchet pe viata) and in the decorative tree in the small bedroom.
