The arrangement of the 53-square-meter apartment in Warsaw's Wola district was designed by Ewelina Białobrzewska, an interior designer from the 4 kąty a stół 5 studio. The bright space is diversified with well-thought-out solutions and subtle accessories, which, according to the investors' assumptions, create a simple and functional, yet unusual interior.
Ola Kloc: What was the priority for the investors?
Ewelina Białobrzewska: Hmm, that's a difficult question. Everything! [Laughs] I'm trying to recall the first meeting with the Investors, which incidentally was held online due to the pandemic, and I remember that the words simplicity and functionality were spoken, and at the same time the Investors didn't want the apartment to be "like from a chain store" or in white and gray, but to have something interesting and unusual in it. At the same time, so that it was not kitschy and overstylized. The investors were open to suggestions, to my ideas, and at the same time the few inspirations I received from them at the beginning of the cooperation, the on-site inventory visit, the view from the window, the surroundings, stimulated my imagination so much that an interior that breaks out of the patterns and has its own unnamed style was created.
The 
pots of plants hang on the walls
© 4 angles a table 5
Ola: The interior is full of interesting solutions - between the living room and the kitchen with the dining room there is an openwork wall that serves as a bookcase, between the living room and the hallway - a light-filtering wooden divider, on the walls hang pots with plants, and behind the TV set is painted a shape reminiscent of the setting sun. Where did you get the idea for such solutions?
Ewelina: It may sound high-flown, but an interior designer is also an artist who has to pick up nuances from conversations with Investors, search for gems from sent inspirations while avoiding the copy-paste effect. Combine the guidelines with his ideas, while keeping in mind the challenges, or if you prefer, the obstacles that are in the apartment. Entering this apartment we have an open space, and the Investors wanted to separate the functions: hallway, kitchen, dining room and living room, but not through the use of partition walls, but forms that on the one hand will divide, but on the other hand will connect these spaces. And that's how the divider and the bookcase were created. The bookcase itself, in addition to being aesthetically pleasing, is also a storage space, which was also important to the Investors - to increase the amount of storage space. And the "setting sun" - is a moment, crayons in hand, a sketch and somehow it drew itself ;) The circle motif is repeated in many elements - lamps, shelves, graphics, etc. When I designed this apartment, in fact, when I design all interiors, I always want them to be different, to be memorable, to be tailor-made for the Investors, and once this design process is underway, ideas come to mind by themselves, they arise from another solution, from a conversation, from a sketch, from the view outside the window, from looking for other solutions than those available or just a moment of dazzle - eureka! And so step by step I connect all this with each other, like dots after numbers in childhood, from which a coloring book was created, here a unique interior was created.
behind the TV is painted a shape reminiscent of the setting sun
© 4 angles a table 5
Ola: Although bright colors and natural materials dominate the interior, they are broken by colorful accents and varied textures. What influenced this choice of colors, textures and materials?
Ewelina: The mustard-colored sofa followed me from the beginning, I've already had enough of gray and beige sofas. Pomegranates and greens also settled in for good - with the rest of the greenery in this apartment was out the window, so why make a competition. Red in this case would have been too aggressive and would not have won the approval of the Investors, so the yellows remained, and so we chose a mustard sofa. I think this color will soon appear more and more often in Polish apartments. And it was the shade of the sofa that attracted us to the further selection of colors, that is, a touch of blue and unobvious pink. Anyway, colors were not supposed to play first fiddle here. I wanted to show that it is not true the common belief that interesting interiors are designed only with a fever of colors from the NCS palette, but it can be achieved by combining different textures, materials, textures, structures that are around us, that is, in nature. What can be seen very well in the juxtaposition: wooden furniture, velour sofa, linen curtains, plaid on the armchair, leather on the pouffe, etc. If all these aspects come together - colors, textures, textures, materials - the interior begins to live, it is not flat in perception, because in addition to the sense of sight, the sense of touch is also saturated. It is worth looking at the interior holistically, more broadly, to go beyond the walls ;)
mustard color of sofa determined further selection of color scheme
© 4 angles a table 5
Ola: What was the most difficult part of this project, and what are you most satisfied with?
Ewelina: My detailing and attention to detail. Oh and finding a non-obvious pink for the setting sun [laughs]. And satisfied with the result of the work, simply with the interior I managed to design.
Ola: In your project description you emphasize the presence of boho, retro, vintage, eclectic, modern styles, i.e. the most fashionable trends in interior design in recent years. How do you use these inspirations while creating timeless spaces?
Ewelina: Use with your head. Choose colors carefully and sparingly. Check whether a given solution, furniture, accessories, fit together. Do not overdo the amount of things. Do not try to fit everything from the inspiration in one interior, this is not the way to go, but focus on your own must have and match the other furnishings to it. Go beyond the patterns and do not look at what is fashionable - unless we like something very much, then you can turn a blind eye ;) And when a moment of fatigue or doubt comes, then rest from it, walk away, distance yourself and try to put it together again. And, if even that doesn't work, ask an interior designer for help, after all, we all need each other :)
Ola: Thank you for the interview!
