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. Their modernist apartment building is over a hundred years old. The hidden backyard, rarely seen by outsiders, was almost untouched by the passing decades, making the owners extremely 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 remember 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 immediately appealed to her. An inner courtyard in an urban home is a privilege not everyone gets.

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

I grew up in the countryside 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 floor of the patio, behind high outer walls, mimics cobblestone with an integrated drain for rainwater. In addition to plants in planters and woven baskets, a pittosporum bush with glossy leaves and curly crown is growing in the courtyard. The bush, like the building, originates from the nineteenth century and has freely grown over the 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 inner courtyard is typical of buildings from that time in Barcelona. The authentic addition with roof decorations in the modernist style was earlier used as a laundry room: do you see the tap on the outer wall? The building was repainted dark green to match the foliage. 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 Beller, although they had enough of their own ideas.

He wisely concluded that the modernist style, set by the architecture of the house, should be respected. Fortunately, in more than a century, the building has changed very little. Take a look at those old beams: 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 with 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 are located. There's enough space to hide wide sliding drawers for storage. The same approach was taken with the bathroom floor near the main bedroom.

Historic ceiling joists were exposed down to brick masonry, and the color of supporting beams was chosen to match it. One can forget about crowds and hustle far away: there is a full sense of life flowing slowly, like in nature.

The kitchen is compact but convenient, with a partition and an opening connecting it to the dining area of the living room. The walls facing the corridor were replaced with glass. Light flows freely everywhere: one forgets they are on the first floor.

The designer’s creativity, play with mirrors and windows (many are original and carefully preserved), allowed the apartment to be filled with charm. Vintage decor items don’t stand out but blend harmoniously into the interior with minimalist household appliances. Who noticed the footrest of a Singer sewing machine?

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

For the renovation, the girl prepared thoroughly: she collected cutouts from her favorite magazines into a thick folder with transparent files. Where did she get the idea for a practical headboard with built-in niche?

The ceiling and beams in the bedroom were made lighter to visually expand the volume. The window here is authentic, and it was treated with respect.

The first-floor apartment with additional open space is often chosen by families with children and pet lovers. Here live cat Sofie and cat Avi: there he is, napping on the bed in the sunlight.

They say that the higher someone's position 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.