Prague Smíchov is not one of the city districts famous for its historical genius loci. Still a small apartment with an area of 47 square meters and layout of 2+kk as if he stepped out of old black and white movies. The owners had it renovated in such a way as to make the most of the inheritance from their great-grandparents. Remarkable low-cost reconstruction was undertaken by architect Eliška Nekolová, founder of the Interien studio.
They discovered and exposed the wall
Although it is about small apartmentthe reconstruction was time-consuming. Mainly because instead of buying new things, the owners wanted to restore as much of the equipment as possible from the old one. At the beginning of the work, they discovered the original brick wall. Although their intention was completely different at the time, they adapted to the situation and left it exposed. They preserved the bricks with paint.
As far as other practical adjustments are concerned, functional equipment played a big role, the equipment was sufficient storage space and good lighting. The apartment is located on the ground floor and the sunlight hardly reaches here. Above the corridor, they devised an entire storage floor with elegant access via a golden escalator. The bathtub did not fit in the bathroom, but thanks to the reinforcement of the floor, it can now be in the bedroom.
After great-grandmother and great-grandfather
Completely renovated furniture after the great-grandparents, which now gives the apartment a unique atmosphere. In the attic, they found a console from the original dressing table – a new one was created from it. An ironing board stand from the 19th century served as a mute servant. Great-grandfather’s dragoon shoe holder became a hanger for handbags. The window frame from the historic family building is removed on the wall as a decoration. The original floor tiles in the hallway were given a new varnish and laid in the kitchen. And the list could go on.
The entire interior is connected by brass and gold color based on historical elements. What was not available in gold went to the paint shop for a special surface finish. Only the pins in the electrical sockets remained in stainless steel.
The project placed great emphasis on sustainability, reused materials and the renovation of historical pieces of furniture. The client also uses dishes exclusively from heritage after the great grandmother. As the author of the project herself describes – the apartment has a strong atmosphere, shows respect for ancestors and bows to the craftsmanship of the late 19th century.
Photo: Archive of the Institute of Apartment Design
Interior of the year competition
As part of the competition Interior of the year exceptional private and public interiors designed by Czech and Slovak architects and designers are awarded annually. The main media partner of the competition is Seznam.cz. Look at winners of various categories from the tenth year. For the eleventh year, authors from the Czech Republic and Slovakia can submit interiors that were completed during 2025, until February 2026. The winners will again be announced as the highlight of the international congress on housing, design and architecture Living Forum in Prague’s Center for Contemporary Art Dox.
