The Odd-One-Out House

Luke Riley Luke Riley
rehabilitación casa en Barcelona, GPA Gestión de Proyectos Arquitectónicos ]gpa[® GPA Gestión de Proyectos Arquitectónicos ]gpa[® Mediterranean style kitchen
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On a lively side street of Barcelona amongst a row of houses is a home that hides an interior full of class and style. What was once an ageing structure has been given a new lease of life and now feels fresh and exciting—much like Barcelona itself. The professional team of GPA architecture were responsible for overseeing the refurbishment of this old building from the 1920's. The home itself stands as two levels and has been reworked to accommodate a modern family of the 21st century. On the ground floor is where you'll find the communal spaces and a courtyard, while upstairs accommodates the bedrooms of the home. Let's begin our tour. 

A stand-out home

Based on a similar façade to that of nearby houses, the former crumbling exterior has been altered to reflect a more modern outlook. Limestones has been used for the bulk of the walls, giving it a more elegant and stately appearance. On the top floor a coated wooden platform has been used to give a warmer, Mediterranean touch.

A new layout

As a part of the refurbishment the layout of the home was completely reconfigured. Prior to the refurbishment the internal environment was characterised by cramped and an almost claustrophobic layout. Now the internal spaces are a reflection of a modern home—free flowing and opened-up to be enjoyed. Even though the overall floor plan of the home appears rather small, smart design and clever décor selections has resulted in a home that feels far larger than the plan suggests. 

A spot in the sun

Barcelona is well known for its warm climate and sunny weather, so it made sense for the refurbishment to take full advantage of this. There's a courtyard on the lower level of the home which is connected directly to the dining area. We love the intimacy of the space which can be contributed to the choice of bright and vibrant colours. The decking and furniture is scattered with lush pot plants which add to this desirable setting. 

An old workshop reworked

Stepping inside, we can see the ground level is formed with the kitchen, dining and living spaces. This section of the home was actually once the workshop of the old house. Knowing this, the design team wanted to retain some little reminders of the homes working past. The exposed brick wall along with the choice of industrial inspired light fittings provides not only intriguing design features to the space, but also acts as a reminder of the homes working past. 

A connecting space

You've most likely noticed that the majority of the surfaces inside the home are coated in a white shade. An all white colour scheme is the obvious choice for houses that have limited space with the bright shade naturally helping rooms appear larger. Having said this, it is important to break up the dominance of the white with other materials and colours. Along with the exposed brick wall, another structural element breaks up the dominance of the white on the lower level— the staircase. Made from locally sourced timber it is a brilliant feature within the connecting space of the home.

Adiós from Barcelona

Our tour of the home ends upstairs in one of the more intimate rooms of the home—the master bedroom. The effortlessness of this room is truly wonderful, and is the icing on the cake to a very successful home refurbishment.

For more inspiration, take a peek at another one of our ideabooks: homify 360: Iconic Landmark

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