Designer Marta Khrapka designed an apartment in an old Warsaw house for a client who lived in Paris for a long time, combining pre-war architecture, modern design and French charm

Swing “French” doors are made to order according to Martha’s sketches.

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Rafal Lipsky

The owner of this apartment in a Warsaw house built in 1937 has lived in Paris for a long time and is a big fan of France. Therefore, in his new home, he wanted to recreate a classic French interior that would return his thoughts to his beloved Paris. The designer Marta Chrapka, founder of the design studio Solombe Design, undertook to realize his dreams.

“I was tormented by doubts,” says the designer. — The idea of Parisian style, which my client dreamed of, confused me somewhat. I was afraid that the interior might turn out to be too pretentious. And besides, we didn’t have high ceilings or big good windows.” Not to mention the fact that the apartment was located in a pre-war house, to put it mildly, devoid of Parisian charm and lovely views from the window of Montmartre and roofs.

A fragment of the hallway. The walls and ceiling are painted white, which Marta got by mixing different Farrow & Ball paints and called “Colombe white”. The designer wanted to achieve a vintage shade reminiscent of pre-war whitewash. Citadel brass lamp, Quasar. Brass fittings on the doors, Linea Cali.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

A fragment of the hallway. Citadel brass lamp, Quasar. Brass fittings on the doors, Linea Cali. Through the open door, you can see the next room with wallpaper imitating the texture of malachite, from Cole and Son.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

Canteen. The wooden table is made to order according to the designer’s sketches. Chairs, Vitra. Above the table is a three—horn chandelier made of metal, Serge Mouilles. A small French-style armchair in the corner has been converted into a stylish dog bed.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

Nevertheless, the designer took up the project because she saw the hidden great potential of this place. She returned the apartment with an area of 106 sq m to the pre-war layout, completely destroyed in the 1980s, and added to it what no real Parisian interior can do without — French hinged glass doors, elegant stucco molding and parquet floors lined with classic herringbone.

Canteen. The wooden table and the metal lamp on the wall on the right are made to order according to the designer’s sketches. Chairs, Vitra. Above the table is a three—horn chandelier made of metal, Serge Mouilles. An unusual floor lamp with a leg and a lampshade made of wooden slats, as well as paintings on the walls were bought on eBay.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

For her part, Marta wanted to keep in touch with the historical past of this place. “We wanted the interior to resemble pre-war Polish housing as much as possible. Therefore, we did not touch and restored wooden details (doors, skylights), chose paints based on natural ingredients similar to ancient whitewash, oak floors similar to those used almost 80 years ago, and paid special attention to the choice of door handles and fittings,” says the designer.

Living room. Vertigo pendant lamp, designed by Constance Guisset for Petite Friture. Above the fireplace portal is a metal sculpture by the artist Oskar Zieta. Curtains, Fadini Borghi. Table lamp on the windowsill, Santa Cole.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

The customer liked this idea, so as a result, the interior turned out to be eclectic. It contains Polish “roots”, current trends, and French charm — a harmonious combination of national traditions, classics and modernity.

Furniture for the project was searched on eBay and made to order. So vintage floor lamps and couches, vintage photographs and drawings on the walls and unusual accessories appeared in the apartment. And the owner’s dog got a designer couch, which Marta came up with to make from a small old chair in the French style.

Living room. The oak floor is lined with a classic herringbone. Above the fireplace is a metal sculpture by the artist Oscar Zeta. The brutalist table and stool made of wood are made to order according to the sketches of the author. Vintage lamp on a metal leg bought on eBay.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

A fragment of the living room.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

Martha’s favorite place in this house is the kitchen. Here she wanted to recreate the atmosphere of the famous Versailles Greenhouse (L’Orangerie du Château de Versailles) and therefore erected an unusual metal structure around the kitchen cabinets, resembling the frame of a greenhouse, pasted the wall behind the kitchen with a tropical print wallpaper and decorated the space with living greenery. “My client doesn’t cook at home anyway, so the main attention in the kitchen was paid not to appliances, but to storage systems and furniture,” Martha laughs. — “I like that this space turned out to be more like a small living room or dining room than a purely working area.”

Kitchen. A chair, Mis en Demeure. Kitchen furniture is made to order. Brass fittings, Arte. On the wall wallpaper with tropical print, Boussac.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

Kitchen, dining area. The table is made to order according to Martha’s sketches. Chairs, Mis en Demeure. The floor is lined with the same oak parquet as in the rest of the apartment, but not with a classic “herringbone”, but with a decorative pattern.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

The bedroom is made in light pastel colors. The entire wall at the head of the bed has been turned into one large storage system, made to order according to Martha’s sketches. There is a lot of space to store everything you need — from clothes to ties and cufflinks. On the opposite side there is a small chest of drawers, also custom—made, over which Marta hung a decorative panel with a floral pattern: it is made of Pierre Frey wallpaper and reminds the customer of the blooming gardens of Versailles.

www.colombe.pl

Bedroom. Around the head of the bed are built—in wardrobes made to order according to Martha’s sketches and painted with Farrow & Ball Light Blue paint. The sconces were bought on eBay. White fabric in the headboard, Romo Linara.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

A fragment of the bedroom. A small chest of drawers is made to order according to the designer’s sketches. Table lamp, Mis en Demeure. Wallpapers Alexandrie, Pierre Frey.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

A fragment of the bedroom. Opposite the bed is a small chest of drawers, made to order according to the designer’s sketches. There are two table lamps on it, Mis en Demeure. Wallpapers Alexandrie, Pierre Frey.

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RAFAL LIPSKY

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RAFAL LIPSKY

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