A Brilliant Faux Mirror Connects the Rooms in This Scandi-Inspired Barcelona Apartment

published Jun 28, 2024

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About this tour

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Home Type

Apartment

Location

Eixample, Barcelona, Spain

Style

Bedrooms

Square feet

972

Sq ft

972

Bernat and Liliana’s apartment is in the heart of Barcelona’s Eixample area, “a historic area with a unique architectural style,” Bernat begins. “The high ceilings, interconnected spaces typical of modernist buildings, and traditional elements like load-bearing walls and Catalan ceramic vaults immediately attracted us.”

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Credit: Lula Poggi

Bernat says their best purchase has been the "handmade ceramic bricks used for the circular opening in the load-bearing wall. They add a distinctive touch and connect the interior spaces in an aesthetically pleasing way."

Their 969-square-foot home they’ve owned for a year was built in 1925 and still has lots of its original elements, like wooden beams, ceramic vaults, and old doors. “We love the high ceilings and the sense of spaciousness created by the interconnected rooms,” writes Bernat, who is an architect and the co-founder of SIGLA Studio.

Credit: Lula Poggi

"We enjoy various activities in the large, open day area that combines the living room, dining room, kitchen, and study," Bernat writes. "Whether it's cooking, reading, working, or spending time with Hachi, the interconnected spaces allow us to move seamlessly between different activities."

“The apartment’s history and original architectural features, such as the wooden beams and ceramic vaults, provide a charming and authentic backdrop for our modern living needs.”

Credit: Lula Poggi

Bernat explains that they moved the original kitchen from a “dark interior area to a bright, exterior-facing space, enhancing natural light and ventilation. We also created a circular opening in a load-bearing wall using handmade ceramic bricks to connect the master bedroom with the living room-kitchen area, adding a unique architectural feature.”

Credit: Lula Poggi

But while they worked to add their own personality to the space, they made sure to aim to “preserve the essence of the original structure while adapting it to modern needs,” Bernat describes.

Credit: Lula Poggi

"Comfort, domesticity, singular," are words the couple uses to describe their home's style.

“We restored the ceilings, reinforced wooden beams, and used traditional materials like lime and natural pigments. The kitchen was relocated to benefit from natural light, and the overall layout was adjusted to create a more open and connected living space. We focused on restoring and reintegrating these features, to maintain its historical integrity.”