Houzz Tour: Nordic Decor Brightens Up a Barcelona Rental
Creative low-cost solutions and carefully selected furniture are the keys to this 100-year-old apartment’s face-lift
Núria Moreras
June 12, 2017
Not wanting to invest too much in a rented apartment, Jordi Martín, owner of the interior design shop Nordicthink, and interior designer Cristina Pons had to come up with clever design solutions. They managed to pull off a record-time face-lift, turning this apartment in Barcelona, Spain, into a dream home for themselves and their two daughters. They shared their decorating secrets with us.
Photos by Jordi Folch, video by Júlia de Balle
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Jordi Martín, Cristina Pons, and their two daughters, Lola, 12, and Simona, 8
Location: Eixample, a central district of Barcelona, Spain
Size: 1,507 square feet (140 square meters)
That’s interesting: Spanish speakers can hear Martín and Pons say more about their home and design in this video by Houzz Spain.
It wasn’t exactly love at first sight with this apartment. Martín had rented it before Pons had even seen it, and when she finally got there, it was a shock: The apartment was old and dirty, and the floors were worn. However, she no longer regrets her partner’s choice.
It was crucial for them to not have to carry out a huge renovation — no wall removal or space redistribution — as they did not want to invest so much in a space they didn’t own. Thankfully, the layout was already functional. A big advantage was that the social areas overlook the street, while the bedrooms face the inner courtyard.
The interior is decorated in pure Scandinavian style — 99 percent of the furniture is from Nordicthink.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Jordi Martín, Cristina Pons, and their two daughters, Lola, 12, and Simona, 8
Location: Eixample, a central district of Barcelona, Spain
Size: 1,507 square feet (140 square meters)
That’s interesting: Spanish speakers can hear Martín and Pons say more about their home and design in this video by Houzz Spain.
It wasn’t exactly love at first sight with this apartment. Martín had rented it before Pons had even seen it, and when she finally got there, it was a shock: The apartment was old and dirty, and the floors were worn. However, she no longer regrets her partner’s choice.
It was crucial for them to not have to carry out a huge renovation — no wall removal or space redistribution — as they did not want to invest so much in a space they didn’t own. Thankfully, the layout was already functional. A big advantage was that the social areas overlook the street, while the bedrooms face the inner courtyard.
The interior is decorated in pure Scandinavian style — 99 percent of the furniture is from Nordicthink.
“The most important thing about this renovation is that, with resourcefulness and imagination, we have managed to create comfy spaces. Each room has its own style yet still feels connected to the other areas,” Martín says.
The apartment is a clear example of how it is possible to change any space, even without major renovations. For example, the living-dining room walls were painted light gray to enhance the original crown molding there, the only place in the house where it’s preserved. The painted baseboards give the illusion of greater height.
Another key tip is to rely on strategically placed lighting. “Lighting is one of the main design problems, not only in this apartment, but in general. I think there is always an overexposure, an excess of light,” Martín says.
The hanging light fixture is Funnel, by the Slovenian company Vertigo Bird. In the background, the floor lamp with the oak base is Pull, by Muuto. Designed by Swedish studio WhatsWhat, it’s one of the company’s bestsellers.
The apartment is a clear example of how it is possible to change any space, even without major renovations. For example, the living-dining room walls were painted light gray to enhance the original crown molding there, the only place in the house where it’s preserved. The painted baseboards give the illusion of greater height.
Another key tip is to rely on strategically placed lighting. “Lighting is one of the main design problems, not only in this apartment, but in general. I think there is always an overexposure, an excess of light,” Martín says.
The hanging light fixture is Funnel, by the Slovenian company Vertigo Bird. In the background, the floor lamp with the oak base is Pull, by Muuto. Designed by Swedish studio WhatsWhat, it’s one of the company’s bestsellers.
The well-thought-out furniture selection brings added value to the decor. “A few well-selected pieces against a good background — that was the basic design rule for this apartment,” Martín says. All the decisions were made as a family. “The girls also participated in everything,” Martín says.
The chromatic range is based on the gray of the walls, as well as white and light wood. The use of light colors and the prominence of white spruce are distinctive features of Scandinavian interiors.
The dining chairs are different models: Eames Plastic DAW, by Vitra (one of the few pieces they did not buy at Nordicthink); J104, by Hay; In Between, by Finnish designer Sami Kallio for &Tradition; and Visu, by Muuto. The idea was to introduce variation in form to balance the minimal and uniform color palette.
Sofa: Mags, Hay; dining table: CPH, designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Hay; rug with geometric motif: Gan; coffee table: Alle, Hem
The chromatic range is based on the gray of the walls, as well as white and light wood. The use of light colors and the prominence of white spruce are distinctive features of Scandinavian interiors.
The dining chairs are different models: Eames Plastic DAW, by Vitra (one of the few pieces they did not buy at Nordicthink); J104, by Hay; In Between, by Finnish designer Sami Kallio for &Tradition; and Visu, by Muuto. The idea was to introduce variation in form to balance the minimal and uniform color palette.
Sofa: Mags, Hay; dining table: CPH, designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Hay; rug with geometric motif: Gan; coffee table: Alle, Hem
The only concession to bright color is this lamp, a memento of Martín’s family. “It used to be in my grandmother’s home in the room where I used to sleep, so it has been with me for many years,” Martín says.
The bookcase in the living room is made up of cubes in three sizes, which can be arranged in multiple combinations. It’s the Stacked shelf system, by Muuto, in ash wood and white MDF.
The bookcase in the living room is made up of cubes in three sizes, which can be arranged in multiple combinations. It’s the Stacked shelf system, by Muuto, in ash wood and white MDF.
Here we see Pons sitting in a Cuba chair, by Carl Hansen. This folding chair, with its solid oak frame and strong white webbing, is an icon of Scandinavian design and was designed by Morten Gøttler in 1997. Martín leans on a Visu chair, by Muuto. It was designed by Finnish designer Mika Tolvanen.
This is Pons and Martín’s office, which also serves as a play corner for their youngest daughter. Only one of the girls gets to lay claim to this space, to make up for the disadvantages of her room. “This way, we compensate for the fact that our older daughter has a bigger room with more light and a desk,” Pons says. Simona plays, does her homework and practices the cello here.
They kept the original table and shelves in the work area but repainted them white. The Fiber chair stands out. It is coated in an innovative material made of recycled plastic and wood fibers. It’s a piece by Muuto and was purchased from Nordicthink, as was the iconic Wood lamp, made in pine and designed by the Swedish architecture firm TAF.
In the hallway, there is another shelving unit like the one in the living room. On this light and minimalistic module stands a wooden skull, which Martín found in Stockholm. It was designed and created by Acne JR. There is also a rechargeable Edison lamp by Fatboy.
The couple didn’t like the floor of this enlarged hall, so they decided to cover it with a reversible plastic carpet by Pappelina. They display its brighter side in the summer months and the darker side in the fall and winter.
The couple didn’t like the floor of this enlarged hall, so they decided to cover it with a reversible plastic carpet by Pappelina. They display its brighter side in the summer months and the darker side in the fall and winter.
The table in the kitchen is made entirely of recycled material: The top is made of recycled boards, and the legs were taken from another table. In the background, we see a Panton chair, by Vitra, and the Bold clock, by Normann Copenhagen.
Painting was the main trick they used to bring about a low-cost face-lift for this 100-year-old apartment. “In each room, paint was used in a different way. It’s not just the color you choose, but the way you use it.”
In Simona’s bedroom, which faces the courtyard, yellow paint brings warmth and more light. “We used this trick only for the headboard, as a focal point that illuminates the bed,” Pons says.
Skull picture: Inventory Barcelona
In Simona’s bedroom, which faces the courtyard, yellow paint brings warmth and more light. “We used this trick only for the headboard, as a focal point that illuminates the bed,” Pons says.
Skull picture: Inventory Barcelona
The master bedroom has a large balcony. “Here, taking advantage of the natural light, we have painted minimal, dark green wainscoting,” Cristina says.
Nordic style generally — and Martín and Pons in particular — steers away from symmetry. Hence, the frames are in an asymmetrical arrangement, and the bedside tables are different. In this photo, we see the Around model, by Muuto.
Pons and Martín customized this Ikea chest of drawers. They repainted it the same color as the wall — to integrate it into the design of the room to the point of near-concealment — and drilled holes where the handles used to be.
The Lumiere 05 lamp is by Foscarini. The lampshade is made of amber crystal.
The master bedroom is in front of Lola’s room, which was painted with a fun effect. It was a little difficult to find the right shade of pink — many of the colors they tested had a bit of a salmon hue, which Martín and Pons didn’t like.
Cat painting: Inventory Barcelona; serigraph (silk-screen print): limited edition for the fifth anniversary of Nordicthink, Emil Kozak; pillow: Oyoy; side table: DLM, Hay
Cat painting: Inventory Barcelona; serigraph (silk-screen print): limited edition for the fifth anniversary of Nordicthink, Emil Kozak; pillow: Oyoy; side table: DLM, Hay
The family has gained a lot by moving into their new home. Lola has easy access to her high school, there are many supermarkets and shops around, and Martín’s commute to his shop is just 5 minutes. All this was made possible with a little paint, well-chosen furniture and a lot of creative thinking.
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I love the blue color in the master bedroom! Could you tell me the paint name and brand you used?
Hi Jodie. It was an specific mix we did with the painter. I'm sorry but we can't help you with any color code. Anyway, it's more green than blue ;)
@Jodie Marshall Many paint stores will work with you to match a custom colour. Take a download shot of the photograph in which you like the paint in the master bedroom. Remember, colours will change according to the light. I've had custom mixes taken from a colour of a tennis shoe I have which was sorta a blue-green mintish looking colour. And I got it matched. It worked nicely on a friend's bathroom. But it did reflect a bit differently due to differences in light through out the day and in the evening. She just fell in love with my tennies! LOL