This 538-Square-Foot Poland Apartment Makes a “Modern White Box” Feel Whimsical
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
For more than 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of house tours from around the world. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
published now

This 538-Square-Foot Poland Apartment Makes a “Modern White Box” Feel Whimsical

Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
For more than 10 years, I've led Apartment Therapy's real home content, producing thousands of house tours from around the world. Currently, I live in my maximalist dream home in New Orleans, Louisiana, with my partner, a perfect dog, and a cute cat.
published now
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Home Type
Location

Bedrooms
Square feet

538

Sq ft

538

While a newly built apartment building offers a certain amount of modern amentities, it also comes with a downside: not a lot of architectural interest or character. Paulina and her husband purchased this 538-square-foot apartment in Gdańsk, Poland, three years ago, and she describes it as “basically a typical modern white box.”

"Don't think too much about matching," Paulina advises. "If you like things, they will go together. The glue is your personal taste."

“It’s like a blank canvas that doesn’t impose any style,” Paulina writes. “Nothing architecturally special, so I am trying to make it special by finding cool lamps or chairs.”

Paulina says the space really just needed some warmth and coziness — something she adds with her ever-evolving thrift collection. “Yes, I am constantly adding thrift finds and changing things around all the time (you can tell if You follow me on Instagram). I even did a little guide on how to thrift online on a budget,” she writes.

This photo of their living room features a DIY painting, an IKEA lamp and screen, a stool that she upholstered, and vases.

“I love mixing old and new, adding pieces from different decades,” she continues. “It’s all about balance for me. I don’t like when it’s ‘too vintage,’ or too modern either, I like having some space and some air, but at the same I love stuff so much!”

The table and screen are from IKEA, and the black chairs are vintage IKEA. She recently painted that lamp chocolate brown.

Yes, Paulina shops secondhand, but also loves IKEA, too. And because she’s not trying to have a home that feels too cluttered she likes to switch out and replace objects she brings in, instead of squeezing more in.

"If you want to make sure if something looks good, take a picture," Paulina advises. "If it does on picture, it does look good in real life."

“It’s all about balancing, and I feel that the space right now is a good balance of all of that. I really love the outcome, although it will never be fully done (iykyk haha),” she jokes.

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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