Situated within an art nouveau building in Barcelona, a Californian family has created its own dream Spanish residence. With the matriarch of the family initially spearheading the renovations alone, local studio Colombo and Serboli Architecture came in mid-way after a fire cut out half the work, and half the budget.
© Roberto Ruiz
While the original plans, many of which had already been undertaken before the fire struck, were much more elaborate, when it came to round two the Californian owners contacted Colombo and Serboli Architecture in a bid to restart renovations. As much of the original budget was no longer available, the studio had to think laterally to find innovative ways in which to change up the feel of the house without undertaking major structural work.
Although the new iteration of apartment renovations was rather different from the family’s original plans, the architecture studio was able to create a bold family holiday home full of statement spaces on a budget.
© Roberto Ruiz
Colour blocking
After stripping back walls and repairing fire-damaged areas of the apartment, Colombo and Serboli Architecture came up with an interesting way in which to zone areas of the home and reinterpret the spaces: colour blocking. In the kitchen, the dropped ceiling, splashback, cabinets and kitchen island have been coated in a warm terracotta, while the neighbouring living space is given its own identity with colour blocked walls running horizontally, complementing the deep purple-painted ceiling that highlights existing plasterwork.
© Roberto Ruiz
A similar solution was applied to the master bedroom, with sage and deep forest green hues lending a calm, majestic air, while an integrated L-shaped desk and accompanying shelves in the study again draw on the rich terracotta to create a lively work/study space. True to the warm Spanish sunlight and elegantly showcasing the tiles and plasterwork in this Spanish shelter, this project is a lesson in more is more, even on a budget.
© Roberto Ruiz
