Madrid Houzz: A Book-Loving Family's Cosy, Contemporary Apartment
This family asked for open spaces that would suit their lifestyle and house their beloved book collection with flair
The owners of this Spanish apartment in Madrid – a couple with three children – needed their home to fulfil two major requirements: first, they wanted a large, open day area where they could enjoy spending time together; and second, they asked for enough shelving to house all their books. They worked with La Reina Obrera to give shape to a contemporary home with a magnificent built-in bookcase in the dining area, measuring a total of 3.5 metres in length, with plenty of shelves for their book collection.
This photo shows the view from the kitchen/dining room looking towards the bedrooms.
The floor-to-ceiling doors create a sense of height while also unifying and enlarging the spaces. The beautiful U-shaped bookshelf in black lacquered MDF is the standout feature. The short sides are 78.5 centimetres long and the front side measures 196 centimetres. Master cabinetmaker Marcelo Giacobone built this piece based on the studio’s design.
“When designing a bookcase, you have to be aware of several things: among them the proportion and arrangement of the shelves on the wall and their thickness. [It also matters] what materials are being used in the rest of the project to decide whether it is interesting to highlight the furniture itself or to make the books either feel integrated into the piece or stand out more,” says Andrés.
The floor-to-ceiling doors create a sense of height while also unifying and enlarging the spaces. The beautiful U-shaped bookshelf in black lacquered MDF is the standout feature. The short sides are 78.5 centimetres long and the front side measures 196 centimetres. Master cabinetmaker Marcelo Giacobone built this piece based on the studio’s design.
“When designing a bookcase, you have to be aware of several things: among them the proportion and arrangement of the shelves on the wall and their thickness. [It also matters] what materials are being used in the rest of the project to decide whether it is interesting to highlight the furniture itself or to make the books either feel integrated into the piece or stand out more,” says Andrés.
They decided to go for an all-white kitchen, with black only used on the refrigerator. The storage includes cupboards that reach right up to the ceiling, punctuated by various recesses.
“We love that the white brightens the kitchen, and that the island has become the focal point of the house. It is comfortable, easy to clean and incorporates plenty of storage so that it always looks tidy,” says the architect.
Andrés believes that a custom kitchen should not result in a significant increase in budget. “We like designing kitchens because they are part of the interior architecture, especially when they are built in. In addition, working with cabinetmakers brings extra value to the project,” says the architect. In this case, the entire kitchen furniture, including all fronts and the island, cost less than 10 per cent of the couple’s budget (excluding the benchtop and taxes).
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“We love that the white brightens the kitchen, and that the island has become the focal point of the house. It is comfortable, easy to clean and incorporates plenty of storage so that it always looks tidy,” says the architect.
Andrés believes that a custom kitchen should not result in a significant increase in budget. “We like designing kitchens because they are part of the interior architecture, especially when they are built in. In addition, working with cabinetmakers brings extra value to the project,” says the architect. In this case, the entire kitchen furniture, including all fronts and the island, cost less than 10 per cent of the couple’s budget (excluding the benchtop and taxes).
Renovating on a shoestring? Search architects in your area and use the Budget drop-down menu to filter by price
The new wooden floor, which visually unifies all the main spaces, enhances the sense of continuity.
The living room area accesses the terrace outside via sliding glass doors, leading to an easy indoor-outdoor connection.
The living room area accesses the terrace outside via sliding glass doors, leading to an easy indoor-outdoor connection.
The apartment overlooks a quiet, densely planted communal garden and, thanks to two terraces, the owners can enjoy views of the greenery. The main terrace stretches the length of the living room. The owners use the second balcony (pictured here) to read with a cup of coffee.
“The sliding doors of the terrace give an unobstructed view of the European plum tree, a seasonal tree that becomes the focal point of the view from the entrance,” says Andrés.
“The sliding doors of the terrace give an unobstructed view of the European plum tree, a seasonal tree that becomes the focal point of the view from the entrance,” says Andrés.
Everyone in this family of five enjoys reading, so making room for and designing a reading nook (pictured) was a must. The bookshelf (each of the six shelves is 177.5 centimetres in length) and the screen are both made of metal.
“Although the dining room, the link between the living room and the kitchen are spectacular, the reading corner next to the divider by the entrance – where there is another shelf with books – is our favourite place in the house. The shelves and divider were our design, but metalworker and furniture desire Diego Macarrón crafted them impeccably,” says Andrés.
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“Although the dining room, the link between the living room and the kitchen are spectacular, the reading corner next to the divider by the entrance – where there is another shelf with books – is our favourite place in the house. The shelves and divider were our design, but metalworker and furniture desire Diego Macarrón crafted them impeccably,” says Andrés.
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The floor plan before works.
The apartment hadn’t been updated in years before this latest renovation, but nevertheless, it was in fair condition.
“The house already had the number of rooms they needed, but its layout, broken into closed-off spaces, did not suit the way the family interact with each other,” says Andrés.
The apartment hadn’t been updated in years before this latest renovation, but nevertheless, it was in fair condition.
“The house already had the number of rooms they needed, but its layout, broken into closed-off spaces, did not suit the way the family interact with each other,” says Andrés.
The floor plan after works.
It’s surprising how much removing the corridor separating the kitchen and living room changed the overall fell.
The bathrooms stayed in the same place and the kitchen was moved only slightly. The apartment now has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a study behind the kitchen.
It’s surprising how much removing the corridor separating the kitchen and living room changed the overall fell.
The bathrooms stayed in the same place and the kitchen was moved only slightly. The apartment now has three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a study behind the kitchen.
The bathroom joinery is custom-made and makes use of the recesses created by the building’s communal areas.
The new layout arranges the space geometrically and brings natural light into every corner. The owners say that they are delighted with the result.
The new layout arranges the space geometrically and brings natural light into every corner. The owners say that they are delighted with the result.
On the professional side, Andrés says that the Houzz Pro software she uses allows them “to have immediate control of the contact submissions, because in addition to having all information available on the computer, we can also view information easily in the App”.
Your turn
Which of these spaces do you like most? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
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Love Spanish design? Get your next dose here with this Spain Houzz: Sustainable Materials and Lots of Light
Your turn
Which of these spaces do you like most? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the conversation.
More
Love Spanish design? Get your next dose here with this Spain Houzz: Sustainable Materials and Lots of Light
Who lives here: A couple with three children
Size: 129 square metres
Location: Madrid, Spain
Architecture and design: La Reina Obrera
The owners found La Reina Obrera on Houzz, which they used both to browse professionals’ previous projects and as a source of inspiration and ideas. Soon after, they engaged Ana Andrés, studio architect at La Reina Obrera, to redesign their home.
It had to be spacious, practical and easy to clean and, above all, it needed to have enough storage and shelving for their books. These were the owners’ specific wishes for the renovation, which was finished during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Pictured here is the kitchen-dining room, which the owners see as the soul of their home.