Golden Light Apartment

Authors’ Comment

This project involved the interior design of a three-room apartment with a generous terrace, located in a newly built residential complex in Bucharest. The client – a young dental practitioner – envisioned an elegant, feminine, and bright interior, incorporating classical references subtly reinterpreted through a contemporary lens.

To reflect these intentions, we integrated decorative wall moldings on key surfaces, used white marble with subtle veining (behind the TV and as kitchen backsplash), added golden accents, and introduced a recurring compositional motif: the circle – echoed in the mirrors, cabinet handles, and select light fixtures.

The main design challenge was organizing the open-space area, which combines the entrance hallway, kitchen, dining, and living area. Despite its generous footprint, the space’s narrow, elongated proportions made it particularly difficult to articulate clearly defined and functional zones. Our response was to design custom furniture that blends and anchors multiple functions. For instance, right next to the entrance we placed a bespoke unit that functions both as a TV cabinet and as essential storage for shoes, coats, and accessories.

Another spatial constraint was the immediate visual access to the kitchen from the entrance. To soften this, we clad the upper kitchen cabinets in smoked cognac mirrors. A central island became a multifunctional focal point, acting as a buffer while also providing additional work surface, storage, and a spot for breakfast or casual gatherings. The lower portion of the kitchen window was covered to allow cabinetry continuity, while the exposed area was transformed into a small herb garden – an aesthetic and functional solution. The kitchen also discreetly hides the boiler, washing machine, and a large-format 3D printer used in the client’s medical profession.

In the master bedroom, we reconfigured circulation, eliminating the walkthrough dressing area and relocating the wardrobe to the long wall beside the bed. The headboard extends full height, upholstered in the same tone as the custom-furniture, creating visual cohesion. Nightstands finished in bronze seem to merge seamlessly into vertical cognac-toned mirrors, a detail echoed from the living area.

The generous terrace was designed for year-round use, enclosed with glass panels and covered by a pergola – an extension of the interior living area, regardless of season.

In conclusion, material selection, spatial configuration, and the chromatic palette were carefully considered to reflect the client’s lifestyle, while defining a consistent and well-articulated interior architecture.