A 38sqm/409sqft Neo-Retro Studio Apartment for a Polish Creative
“We wanted the apartment to show Gosia’s personality since she is such a bright and fun person”, Mikołaj Ziemiński, interior architect and co-founder of EMTE studio, told Never Too Small of the apartment he designed for his friend Gosia. Located in the Garrison District of Gdańsk’s Wrzeszcz neighbourhood – an area known for art lovers and foodies alike – the 38sqm/409sqft space is right at home with its vibrant, “neo-retro” aesthetic.
Gosia would become the first to inhabit the space following the building’s construction in 2022, and what she received was essentially an empty shell. A state, Ziemiński described, is typical of new condos in Poland: “In Poland, it is common to buy apartments with only ready-made walls with pre-installed water and electrical outlets – just the basics. The advantages of receiving an apartment in this condition are that walls can be demolished if necessary and we don’t waste any materials.” A blank canvas ready for Ziemiński to help realise Gosia’s clear vision of a “bold and striking visual composition” filled with an “interplay with colours, textures, and light” as well as room for showcasing plants and decorations.
All about Atmosphere
The duo didn’t change the core layout of the flat much at all, but they did remove the existing wall separating the bedroom from the living room and replaced it with a built-in shelving unit. The unit, defined by its evenly spaced square shelves for displaying fun objets d’art and the projector, generates a similar level of privacy as the previous wall did except it encourages more flow, ventilation, and dynamism. More than that, the shelf was used as a tool for balance and cohesion. Directly opposite the shelving partition is the kitchen which is finished with the same textured plywood fronts on melamine panels.
This material continuity offers a slightly more modest backdrop for the more eccentric and eclectic furnishings throughout. Some favourites include the red plastic pendant light sited above the dining table and the wavy LED light above the couch, both contributing their own unique atmosphere – “especially during game nights with friends”, Ziemiński adds. Another cool addition that is, admittedly, not quite a furnishing per se, is the ribbed cast-iron radiator. He explained that it was chosen not just for its functionality but for its retro feel – an aesthetic threaded throughout the entire flat.
Putting Practicality and Comfort First
Beyond its good looks, Gosia’s home is practical; it was designed, first and foremost, to be lived in, as Ziemiński stressed: “I pay a lot of attention to how people move throughout their space. Ensuring practicality and comfort is crucial to me”. From the bathroom through to the bedroom, each space in this home proves this concept individually and collectively, delivering on the specific needs required of it while flowing seamlessly with the areas around it. “Small spaces often present challenges that require out-of-the-box solutions that may not be applicable to every situation”, noted Ziemiński. “I think it’s important to recognize the potential of the space and address any problem in an ambitious yet realistic manner”.
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