When looking at the existing plan of the apartment it is evident that it has a very generous area and that in general all the spaces are very ample. However, there are improvements that can be made from the functional point of view to the layout and to incorporate all the requirements of the brief.

We have identified the following deficiencies which we aim to resolve through the proposed design:

Limited number of bathrooms.
A lot of area wasted on circulation.
Spaces are not used to its full potential and are sometimes poorly connected and distributed.

The original apartment design dates back several decades and is not suitable for modern living requirements.

The proposed design is based on the following key points:

1.- Enhancing the arrival space

The entrance hall maintains its size but the openings connecting with the kitchen and the living room have been reconfigured with a sliding door being proposed for the kitchen space. The long corridor previously connecting the “ingresso” with the rooms has been repurposed to house storage space and to extend the bathroom for the children (shared bathroom). The guest’s bathroom can be discretely accessed from the entrance hall. A “coats” cupboard is proposed conveniently close to the entry on the opposite end of the hall.

2.- Create an open kitchen space and family room

The existing walls of the current kitchen are demolished and new ones are built to completely reconfigure the layout as an open space including an informal family room.

The cooking area is configured with a central island and breakfast bar where the sink and dishwasher are incorporated. A new drainage pipe will have to be routed through the new wall up to the point where the original kitchen drainage currently is (see note on the dimensioned plan). A generous area is also provided for the hub, together with the ovens and fridge, opposite to the central island.

The design is such that allows for the maximum penetration of natural light which will give the kitchen a bright ample feeling. A new generous laundry space is discretely placed at the back of the kitchen with direct access to the balcony and benefiting from natural light and ventilation.

The washing machine and tumble dryer can be installed below the working top where a washing sink is also provided together with cabinets and shelves. A new kitchen storage space is proposed conveniently connected to the cooking area.

With this design the use of the space is maximised, and better functionality is ensured allowing to revitalize the kitchen space as the “day to day” social area of the apartment.

3.- Enhancing the living/dining room.

The space has been reconfigured with a small change to the existing wall which is now used to separate the studio from the living room and to create a new access to the sleeping private areas. The studio can accommodate a large desk and could be configured in various ways. The proposed design allows for large book-shelf and chaise longue in addition to the desk.

The living room space allows for a generous sitting arrangement with the possibility of a large TV placed against the back wall on a sideboard.

The dining area can comfortably accommodate an 8 people table.

With this design there is no long corridors anymore and the circulation has been optimized and made part of the main spaces.

Studio, living and dining areas have direct access to the balcony.

4.- The rooms.

The current arrangement of the rooms is convenient, and no big changes are necessary.

The existing bathroom adjacent to the master bedroom has been incorporated to it as an “en-suite” bathroom and reconfigured to house a shower, a bathtub, two hand washing basins and a toilet/bidet.

The main bedroom has enough space to accommodate up to a king size bed and new cupboards with plenty of storage space.

The children bedrooms have been designed to accommodate “French beds” if required, with a desk and new cupboards.

The existing small “Sauna” has been extended to provide a shared bathroom for the children bedrooms, where the shower or toilet can be used privately while the handwashing basin can be used simultaneously by a second person.


As a general note we have been careful not to propose a large amount of demolition and construction of new walls, as costs can easily escalate and complications can arise on site once construction starts. We aim to provide a sensible attractive design avoiding unnecessary waste of money.

This has been an interesting design exercise and we are very pleased with the result, we hope you’ll be pleased too.

Kind regards,

The architects.