Cavaa designs colourful built-in furniture for an apartment in Spain

Architecture studio Cavaa has revamped this apartment in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Spain, using multi-functional furniture to maximise the space.

Called Galla House, the two-bedroom apartment features a kitchen counter with a built-in bench and a storage unit that doubles as a window seat.

Cavaa made changes to the floor plan, including removing walls to make the apartment more open plan.

"This apartment started from a conventional structure organised with enclosed spaces, a distributing corridor and a small south-facing balcony," said Cavaa.

"The new design expands the house with a new terrace in the block's courtyard and arranges the interior rooms to bring them closer to the expanded open space."

Entering through the front door, a new built-in wardrobe to the left holds coats and shoes.  Straight ahead, another space-saving furniture unit forms an L-shape against the perimeter walls.

A deep window seat is cut out from this piece, with cupboards and drawers below, forming the perfect vantage point for the Galla House's feline occupants.

Mirrors cover the doors of the adjacent unit, enhancing the sense of space.

Round the corner, in the open plan living room, a bench forms a seating area for the dining table. Hinges on the seats allow access to the storage bins beneath.

Across the room, the kitchen is demarked by a third furniture element. Counters line one side, forming a half wall with an added glass partition that continues to the ceiling.

This feature keeps the smells and splashes of the kitchen contained, without cutting off the occupants from the action happening in the living room.

On the other side of the kitchen counters, facing the sofa, an angled bench with power sockets adds another place to sit in the communal area.

Outside, the enlarged balcony is accessible via floor-to-ceiling glass doors. Another door links the kitchen area directly with this terrace.

"The design of different furniture unifies the language of the intervention due to its textures and colours, providing storage and services at the same time," said Cavaa.

The grooved wooden elements are painted baby blue. Complimentary bright teal accents mark the edges of the clear half wall, continuing across the door lintel and in the small gaps between the tops of the cupboards and the ceiling.

The effect is of a continuous piece of furniture that encircles the living space. Timber floorboards complement the wooden elements of the storage pieces.

A pale blue-grey terrazzo floor with darker chips marks the kitchen area, linked by a thin sliver to the area around the front door where this flooring style continues.  Twin orange pendant lights hang above the dining table.

To the rear of the apartment, there is a small study and two bedrooms. The master bedroom has new built-in wardrobes, and the family bathroom has been enlargened and rearranged.

Cavaa was founded in 2009 by Jordi Calbetó and Oriol Vañó.

The practice has also renovated an apartment in Barcelona, exposing a traditional vaulted ceiling and replacing brick walls with glazing.

Photography is by Filippo Poli.

Project credits:

Architect: CAVAA
Design team: Jordi Calbetó, Oriol Vañó and Josep Massana
Collaborators: Federico Acetti and Laura Gutiérrez, architects
Client: Private

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