The Most Budget-Friendly Renovation: Great Ideas from Spain

This apartment is located in northern Spain and belongs to a young couple. When the couple bought it, there were no high ceilings or spacious rooms—instead, there were suspended ceilings and many small, dark rooms.

The couple approached architects from Babel Studio to do something about the unfortunate layout. They also wanted to incorporate vintage items that the owners had collected over a long period of time.

First, the architects removed unnecessary interior partitions. They stripped away old finishes, removed the ceilings, and exposed original beams—making it clear what potential was hidden in this apartment. The interior now has more light and improved natural air circulation.

Since the clients love vintage, loft motifs, and mid-century modern furniture, some walls were left exposed to brick, while the kitchen was designed with wooden and minimalist elements—just like they preferred in the middle of the 20th century. The signature pink color of that era was also used to paint the front door.

They selected comfortable and minimalist furniture, naturally not forgetting iconic items: for example, lamps designed by Le Corbusier and Jean Louis Domèche in the living room and Arne Jacobsen’s ant chairs in the bedroom. These iconic chairs were also duplicated as souvenirs—reduced in size and placed on the dressing table in the living room. This is a great decorative trick.

The bedroom turned out to be the most peaceful space, and to add a special touch, the dresser was decorated with an old helmet (the owners say it once belonged to a Russian cosmonaut—interesting, is it true or just a beautiful story?), an anatomical chart, and family photos.

The bathroom is probably the most unconventional room in the apartment. The walls and floor were clad with micro-cement, and the vanity unit was made from an old carpenter’s bench—this created a bold look. It's hard to argue with the bathroom for its impact, except for one feature that integrates the clients’ passion for football.

Notice the carpet pattern in the living room—it resembles the design on footballs, right? And if you look closely at the pendant above the dining table, it’s easy to guess that it's an old stadium spotlight and a very elegant and refined way to tell the story of the people living here without breaking the style.

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