PIED-A-TERRE IN POZNAN
An interior with soul, where contemporary aesthetics and design meet the authentic character of the building - a tenement house in the old market square in Poznań.
The client appreciates the beauty of craftsmanship and the history of Italian design, so the artistic approach in the design process itself was present from the very beginning. We tried to combine these two poles - old and new - by combining iconic Murano and Stilnovo lamps with contemporary designs - a plaster lamp from Pierre Augustin Rose or Moooi. The interior did not have any historical details preserved, it was a hostel with brown carpets, so we wrote our story from the beginning. I resonate with spaces that carry nuanced beauty and the patina of history. Bringing the character and history of the building back into the interior was extremely important. When starting the concept, I created a list of things, I felt they had to be there! These were plaster cornices, a fireplace, oak herringbone, antique details. The basic elements needed good company - new colors and textures in the space. I was enchanted by the bay window, which now belongs to the children's room, it had the potential to become a charming place, while in the hotel it was covered with heavy curtains. As a designer, I wanted the interior (since it is intended for occasional use) not to be overloaded and to have a calming and soothing atmosphere.
The deGournay wallpaper - due to the beauty resulting from its craftsmanship - is also on the must-have list. It makes you feel like you've been taken to a secret garden. These two framed panels from were painted by a New York artist and depict Wisteria - the client's favorite flower. This personalization and sometimes excessive caution in selecting the history of objects that will harmonize with each other in the space was very important to us. The spirit of this project is perfectly reflected in the thought of artist and writer Leonard Koren: "Pare down to the essence, but don't remove the poetry." We aimed to weave contemporary elements into the old architecture so that the dialogue of the old and new in the interior would be unforced and inviting.
Photographer: Montserrat Garriga Grau @capdemar
This project was published in LABEL Magazine (September 2023 issue)
During the design process, my thoughts often reminded me of the Artempo philosophy in Axel Vervoordt's definition of "where time becomes art", hence our pursuit of the timelessness of the interior and the choice of natural, well-aging materials. Oak floor panels welcome residents and spacious rooms bring to mind the atmosphere of pre-war tenement houses. To create a sense of peace and warmth, we combined hanging lamps, wall lamps and chandeliers. I didn't want the interior to have recessed lighting and LEDs that would contradict the history of the rest of the house. I wanted the space to seem lit by candles at night.
Alabaster wall lamps in the bathroom designed by Pierre Chareau from 1923 hang on both sides of a brass-framed mirror, which I designed especially for this space. The sculptural effect of patination will change over time. In the bathroom, attention is drawn to the contrasting, oriental landscape on the Dedar wallpaper, which brings to mind photographic negatives. The theme of this wallpaper collection "A Contre-Jour" is a movement towards the world of Wedgwood porcelain - the play of light and shadow on the wallpaper resembles drawings on jasper relief vases from the 18th century. It was this nod to Wedgwood's history that made this wallpaper the one for us. For this wallpaper we designed a stained glass, oval window in the bathroom. On the floor there is a monochromatic checkerboard made of two types of antique marble.
The valance in the children's room where children play and read in the evenings has a symbolic meaning for me. It will certainly be their childhood memory. It is the sight of experiences being created inside the house that brings me the greatest joy.