First Floor — Is It Bad? How an Apartment Became a Country House

Sara lives in Barcelona near Paseo de Gracia with her husband and son. The modernist house where their apartment is located is over a hundred years old. The past century barely touched the hidden backyard, so the owners were incredibly lucky. Sunlight from the green patio streams into every corner, filling the apartment with life.

It took four years for Sara's family to find the right housing option. They viewed around two hundred options and recall that time with a smile: believe us, the search was pure nightmare.

Sara's work is related to organizing events, many of which are dedicated to cinema. The girl knows how to create atmosphere, so the apartment was a perfect fit for her right away. An internal courtyard in an urban apartment is a privilege not available to everyone.

An apartment on the first floor sometimes makes potential tenants feel uneasy: is privacy and safety enough in a big city? Sara saw her find as a unique opportunity that couldn't be missed.

I grew up outside the city and wanted to feel the ground under my feet, even if I'm several floors above it. Only a private courtyard: no other option was even discussed!

The courtyard floor mimics cobblestone with built-in drainage for rainwater, behind high external walls. In addition to plants in planters and woven baskets, a pittosporum bush with glossy leaves and curly crown grows in the courtyard, where star-like flowers peek through. The bush, like the building, is of the nineteenth century and has freely grown over many years to tree size.

There's enough space in the courtyard for a coffee table and a grilling zone.

The patio has its own history. The internal courtyard is typical of buildings from that era in Barcelona. An authentic addition with roof ornaments in the modernist style was previously used as a laundry room: see the tap on the external wall? The building was repainted in dark green to match the leaves. Sara’s husband Mike set up an office there.

Let’s take a look inside the apartment from the street, through French doors with full-height glass. Of course, after renovation, the apartment was transformed. For re-planning, the owners invited designer Roger Bell, though they had their own ideas.

He wisely concluded that the modernist style given by the building’s architecture should be respected. Fortunately, in over a century, the building changed little. Take a look at those old beams: it turned out they were in excellent condition.

The entrance hall is designed as a mini-library: the shelves were designed by the designer, who also proposed the main color scheme—natural tones of light wood and an abundance of white. Light color accents were added through textiles.

To give the living room proper proportions, several spaces were merged during re-planning.

Using height differences, the designer provided a podium in the area where soft furniture and a coffee table were placed. There’s enough space to hide wide sliding storage boxes. The same approach was applied to the bathroom floor near the main bedroom.

Historic ceiling slabs were exposed down to brick masonry, and the supporting beams were painted in a matching tone. You can forget about the crowds and hustle far away: the feeling here is that life flows slowly, like in nature.

The kitchen is compact but practical. A partition with an opening connects it to the dining area of the living room, and the walls leading to the corridor were replaced with glass. Light floods everywhere: you forget that you’re on the first floor.

The designer’s ingenuity, play with mirrors and windows (many of them are original and carefully preserved) filled the apartment with charm. Vintage decor items don’t stand out but blend naturally into the interior with minimalist household appliances. Did anyone notice the stand from a Singer sewing machine?

Another question: what do the white wrought iron lights, the garden furniture of the patio, or even the mirror in the bedroom tell about? Sara follows design blogs and loves the Provence style.

She prepared for the renovation thoroughly: she compiled a thick folder with transparent files of cutouts from her favorite magazines. Where did she get the idea for a practical headboard with built-in niche?

The bedroom ceiling and beams were made lighter to visually expand the space. The window here is the authentic one, treated with respect.

First-floor apartments with additional open space are often chosen by families with children and pet lovers. Here live the cat Sofie and the kitten Avi: there he is, sunbathing on the bed.

They say that the higher a person’s status in society, the more natural light they can afford. Sara and Mike’s unique apartment located at ground level is a true treasure in that sense.