Cervantes Apartment
Right next to Cervantes Park, located at the end of Barcelona’s Diagonal Avenue, the Cervantes Tower was erected in 1965. An open block of apartments, whose layout presents different types of large format housing, with spectacular panoramic views of the city. A concept already in its day, with a high standing character.
Modern family apartment in Barcelona: 195m2 project in the upper part of town
The floor plan presents a rectangular geometry of rational order, which at some points is broken by certain characteristic façade elements of informalist aesthetics, having a direct impact on the interior space distribution.
In this context, and with a family script of a married couple with three teenage children, the client gives us the opportunity to adapt one of these 195m2 apartments. We set out to transform this modern family flat in Barcelona.
"One of the great premises has been the visual order."
Through a fantastic large hall, you access the day area, which is diaphanously laid out and presents three clearly differentiated spaces: a large office, a warm living room with magnificent views and a nice dining area to share with family and friends.
The access to the day area includes a custom-made shelf by Molins Design in varnished American oak veneer, a set of Anet model lamps pendant at different heights, designed by Agustín Gascón, and, at the end, one of the main protagonists: the gas fireplace placed in a key corner.
Wooden slats as a visual solution
Wood is clearly the great protagonist in Cervantes Apartment’s Day area.
Following the same pattern as in the hall, light-toned wood is also part of the large central bookcase, as well as the integrated office we find on the right when accessing the living room.
Front elevation of the office
When accessing the day area and fully integrated with the rest of the stay, there is a large open office in which to work.
The office has an open character, but thanks to the screen created to measure with natural oak slats, a certain sense of privacy is generated without losing the essence of a diaphanous space.
The large work table is surrounded by a whole set of cabinets that respond to the property’s requirement of having a high storage capacity as a file without losing the visual order.
“The fireplace is one of the project’s jewels, located in a strategic place.”
The day area is presented as a single shared L-shaped space, integrating the living, dining room and office daily uses, since the clients usually work from home.
In a hinge point of this trinomial, the gas fireplace is located as a decorative visual element that can be seen from every corner, and which one is forced to walk around to access the living room.
Hall's blueprint elevation
The fireplace’s location and space have helped to create, in a uniform and integrated way, a set of cabinets in which to store all kinds of utensils and kitchenware next to the dining room, as well as a decorative, backlit wooden niche which aligns visually with the fireplace.
Blueprint elevation of the living room bookcase
The living room’s main character is the custom-made bookshelf. It stands out for its organic shape, embracing the L-shaped wall, with a curved edge and an oak wood slatted skin. Undoubtedly, an element which brings a sense of softness to the space and creates a very interesting game of contrasts between the iron-lacquered niches and dark tones.
The technological approach in this modern family flat in Barelona it has been equipped with a simple-use home automation system, choosing wireless technology through “Z-Wave” communication.
An adapted app describes the different uses and needs in every space, resolving temperature guidelines for air conditioning in a simple way. Furthermore, it is also in charge of the blind central closing motorization, as well as lighting and audio.
Next to the living room, and sharing space with it, we find a wide dining room, for which we custom designed a Carlo table for up to eight diners. It becomes the space’s great protagonist, accompanied by an own-created fantastic round rug which have baptized as the “Al-Andalus” model. A textile accessory which plays with different terracotta tones, present in the rest of the set.
Next to this own-design singular pieces, we find Ayla chairs by Andreu World, which are made of a swivel base in four beech blades and tile-color upholstered seats. An Ombrella model suspended lamp in bronze by Modo Luce completes the scene.
Dining room blueprint elevation
Double-access kitchen
The kitchen is accessed by two points. On the one hand, through the hall and, on the other, from the dining room through a pivoting smoke-glazed door from Italian brand Lualdi. It allows to sift light and separate both spaces in an incredibly elegant manner.
In the kitchen set we have combined three materials. On the one hand, an oak finished DM, on the other, a white toned lacquered oak and, finally, a countertop and front from Inalco.
The great feature in this kitchen is the hidden induction system that we have incorporated into the countertop’s porcelain surface. A new generation cooking system, with subtle markings that indicate the cooking zones. Undoubtedly, a feature that turns the worktop into a completely clean area that is very pleasant to use.
In front of the cooking area, we find a whole paneling with the same finish as the rest of the kitchen furniture, in which a refrigerator and a door to the house’s main laundry room are camouflaged.
Cervantes Apartment House Tour
Join us for the House Tour of this modern and family flat in Barcelona. A 195m2 comprehensive interior design project located in the Pedralbes area, which we have transformed into a modern and practical home for a large family.
A transformation of which we can be especially satisfied, since being in an architecture with a strong personality, it has allowed us to develop a script adapted to the functionalities and aesthetics of a contemporary design.
To access the night area, we must cross the threshold of a hidden door in the hall’s oak wood paneling. After this point, the challenge has been to design a layout where a main suite would be correctly distributed, in addition to three rooms for the children, equipped with two complete bathrooms and a courtesy one.
The design of the courtesy bathroom is made from a practical and functional approach. In it, both technical and aesthetic factors have been considered, since it is intended exclusively for visits and guests.
In this bathroom we have incorporated a round backlit wall mirror. Also, a bathroom set made up of the Randa Flat bathroom furniture, in a meshed oak finish by Mapini, and the Dinan countertop sink by Bathco. For the taps, we chose a model from the T-Cross line by Bongio in a ferro antico finish.
The distinctive touch is given by a particular Élitis decorative paper with a raffia-like finish that gives it its own personality.
Suite elevation blueprint
In the master suite we have played with the color scheme. For this, we have used a neutral base combined with textures in terracotta tones. Examples of this are the decorative cushions upholstered in fabrics from Les Créations de la Maison, as well as the blanket and stool at the bed foot in matching tones.
The distinguishing touch in this suite is provided by the two peculiar Tant model suspended lamps from AROMAS. Luminaires that wink at the so traditional rattan in the famous Tonet chairs.
Next to the bedroom, in front of the bed, we find a large dressing room of generous dimensions. Furniture in which we have also wanted to place the television that the property requested.
The suite of this large size modern and family flat in Barcelona has been designed to be a private corner of resting and relax. That is why it has an integrated bathroom, but at the same time separate. In fact, it is almost hidden through a magnificent sliding door, allowing the two spaces to be joined or divided as desired.
Apart from small differences, the size and content of the three rooms has been distributed evenly among the siblings, resulting in generous sized closets and equipping each room with a desk of adequate size, for daily use and with views to the outside. As well as trundle beds to be able to invite friends.
The distinctive touch of each bedroom is given by the different vinyl papers chosen for each one of them. In this case, we have opted for a beautiful diamond pattern in different shades from Wallquest.
Bedroom elevation blueprint
In this other bedroom we wanted to convey a very calm mood, using creamy tones. For the L-shaped corner, we have played with a vinyl wallpaper with a check pattern from Wallquest, which apart from being very decorative, makes it easy to clean. Something with which eventual friction is avoided and which, in addition, gives it a very special touch.
Both daughters share a practical and beautiful full bathroom with a shower, which we wanted to dress up by playing with shades of white in contrast to the light Teak oak finish of the Mapini wall-hung furniture.
In this case, the nod has been given to it with the textures of the Spiga Marmi China XXL porcelain tile by Porcelanosa, applied to the wall coverings. In this bathroom, following the line of the others, a white circular countertop washbasin and chrome wall taps have been incorporated.
In the son’s bedroom we wanted to play with shades of green in furniture elements, combining the stone color of the International Art wallpaper that covers the walls and the wood color of the custom-made cabinets.
For the bathroom next to this bedroom, we have chosen a representative hexagonal-shaped porcelain tile in greenish tones by Equipe Cerámicas. Element that gives a lot of personality, as well as the Alcor model by Bongio for wall-mounted taps in a chrome finish, which also give it a unique touch.
