“The design of a space has a significant impact on the way we experience our lives”, says architect Constantine Bouras, who designed a residential space for a newly-wed couple in a 120-square-meter apartment in Nea Smyrni.
The main focus of the design was the creation of an atmosphere of balance and tranquility, which was achieved both through the design of the spaces and the selection of calm colors on walls, floors, millwork, countertops and kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets, furniture fabrics and objects. The art pieces have also been placed in such a way in order to achieve visual harmony. Shades which filter the light that enters this fifth-floor apartment were installed in all the window openings.
In the living area, the circulation axes allow unobstructed flow and the large openings allow a beneficial connection to the terrace overlooking the Saronic Gulf and Mount Hymettus. The kitchen is located next to the living area, but in a more introvert way, functionally and visually separated by a counter that functions simultaneously as a divider and as a connecting element with the rest of the space, and which can be used in multiple ways throughout the day, either as a dining table, or as a serving counter, or as a working surface overlooking the dining room, the living room and the terrace.
A wooden structure that simultaneously functions as threshold, paneling, wardrobe and storage space, is essentially the boundary between the public and private spaces of the apartment. The passage of the hidden door leads to the bedrooms and the office. For these spaces a wooden floor and softer materials have been selected, thus giving a more warm feeling. The main corridor has been used as a gallery for the exhibition of art work by Greek artists, as well as photographs by one of the owners of the apartment.
For the furnishing of the apartment, some historical pieces, family heirlooms of the couple from Constantinople, were combined with modern and contemporary design furniture and fixtures, such as table lamps, floor lamps and ceiling lamps by Foscarini [Birdie, Caboche, Chouchin, Diesel, Le Soleil, Lumiere], the Tulip dining table by Eero Saarinen [Knoll], dining chairs and kitchen stools by Philippe Starck [Kartell], chairs on the terrace by Harry Bertoia [Knoll], whereas some of the furniture, such as the wall-mounted metal console under the TV, were designed by the architect.
