Houzz Tours
My Madrid Houzz: An Art-Filled Home for a Former Gallery Owner
Well-crafted transitions and contrasts help foreground an impressive art collection in this Spanish apartment
Rocío Bardín’s home is a symphony of contrasts and unique design features. Its decor revolves around two core elements: its stunning patio – a rare find in the centre of Madrid – which was what first attracted Bardín to the apartment; and Bardín’s collection of artwork, design elements and artistic mementos, gathered over the course of her career as a contemporary art consultant and the owner of the OA, a former Madrid art gallery that specialised in art and design. The rest of the decor was carefully selected to support these features, create balanced contrast and transition, and foreground particular elements in each space.
Back to front: entryway, dining area, kitchen (between the two walls to the left of the dining area), living room
The design of the inside space was driven by two primary factors: the creation of a link between outdoor and indoor space, and the desire to foreground Bardín’s unique collection.
“My home is a reflection of my tastes but also my inquisitiveness,” says Bardín. “I like to live in the company of the things I appreciate and treasure. After many years of working with the best art and design, I had gathered a small collection of pieces I adore.”
The design of the inside space was driven by two primary factors: the creation of a link between outdoor and indoor space, and the desire to foreground Bardín’s unique collection.
“My home is a reflection of my tastes but also my inquisitiveness,” says Bardín. “I like to live in the company of the things I appreciate and treasure. After many years of working with the best art and design, I had gathered a small collection of pieces I adore.”
The flooring transitions from pastel-coloured cement tiles in the entrance hall to painted white pine planks in the kitchen, and from a warm to a cold colour scheme. “[Feduchi’s] idea was to contrast the irregular [shapes and various] colours of the tiles with the [rhythmic straight lines] of the wooden floor. The colour is concentrated in the darker area of the house to give it a bit of liveliness and movement, and as it progresses towards the patio it gets quieter and the energy is displaced to the works of art and design elements,” says Bardín. “It was important to reduce the intensity of the overall colour [here] so that the works of art and design pieces could stand out and be the protagonists.”
Bardín says that this idea of contrast and transition was fundamental to the design of the apartment as a whole. “In a small space like this one you need to have it change and arrive at contrasts – that helps you get away from monotony. Of course, [you have to be] careful to not descend into chaos.”
Wall shelves: Vitra
Bardín says that this idea of contrast and transition was fundamental to the design of the apartment as a whole. “In a small space like this one you need to have it change and arrive at contrasts – that helps you get away from monotony. Of course, [you have to be] careful to not descend into chaos.”
Wall shelves: Vitra
This sense of contrast is also what drove Bardín and Feduchi to create an all-white kitchen. “I liked the idea of a kitchen as a white cube, as if it were a lab. It is the most active place in the apartment, where lots of tasks are carried out. When you move on to the dining area, it is the space that is activated. The same happens between the living room and the patio. It is a way of playing with contrasts in a harmonious way.”
The unique ceiling lamp is made of kitchen utensils that Bardín was going to get rid of in the move, until her friend Carlos Schwartz, an artist who also designed several other elements in the apartment, offered to use them to create this piece. Now it is a great eye-catcher.
The unique ceiling lamp is made of kitchen utensils that Bardín was going to get rid of in the move, until her friend Carlos Schwartz, an artist who also designed several other elements in the apartment, offered to use them to create this piece. Now it is a great eye-catcher.
Beyond the kitchen, movement and activity give way to the visual richness of artwork and design elements. “In this space [referring to the open-plan areas as a whole], I wanted to place all the objects and art pieces I find interesting, not because of their aesthetics but because of their meanings. Each of them has a history that is connected with my life.”
The Shukhov dining table is a design by Feduchi, custom-made just for this space. It features a granite tabletop and metallic legs made of steel rods, which were inspired by the radio towers built by the Russian engineer Vladimir Shukhov.
The picture on the wall is by Gonzalo Puig, and was once exhibited at Bardín’s gallery. Bardín bought the colourful crystal tulip lamps at the famous El Rastro market – they were made by a now-closed factory. She mounted them with Schwartz’s help.
The Shukhov dining table is a design by Feduchi, custom-made just for this space. It features a granite tabletop and metallic legs made of steel rods, which were inspired by the radio towers built by the Russian engineer Vladimir Shukhov.
The picture on the wall is by Gonzalo Puig, and was once exhibited at Bardín’s gallery. Bardín bought the colourful crystal tulip lamps at the famous El Rastro market – they were made by a now-closed factory. She mounted them with Schwartz’s help.
This sculpture of the upside-down man is ‘Colmena Negra 2’ by MP & MP Rosado, two brothers Bardín collaborated with for a number of years. “In their pieces they play with a theatrical way of speaking about identity and the permanent search for one’s own place in life. Their sculptures provoke tension and instability. The ‘upside-down man’ is someone who is looking for his place, and it is something none of us should ever stop doing. For my home, I thought that the sculpture should be in a transitional space. The effect is surprising, disturbing, it does not leave you indifferent,” Bardín says.
Bardín stresses that the functionality of the objects is also very important: “The pieces have found their place in a very natural and effortless way. Living with them is easy most of all because the majority of them have a function.” Thus, on the table we see an orange ceramic rabbit cookie jar designed by Momoyo Turimitsu, which Bardín uses as a vase.
Bardín brought back the polished aluminium chairs – designed by Philippe Starck for Emeco – from New York after an exhibition, in a container together with her works. They reflect the pattern of the tiled floor.
Bardín brought back the polished aluminium chairs – designed by Philippe Starck for Emeco – from New York after an exhibition, in a container together with her works. They reflect the pattern of the tiled floor.
On the other side of the room there is a sitting area, where two Eames rocking chairs stand out. On the wall hangs a photo (a triptych, printed on silk) by Cristina Iglesias. The lamp on the right is La Flaca, by Álvaro Catalán de Ocón.
The clover-shaped table is a piece by Sanaa for Vitra. Its sky blue colour matches the handmade carpet by Cristina Vallejo for El Sur, as well as the Eames chairs.
The eclectic origins of the items in Bardín’s house are best illustrated here. The old sofa, from her previous house, has been reupholstered with a linen fabric by the Madrid-based textile showroom Moet Chansons. Next to it stands the Log table, by Fredrikson Stallard, which also showed in the OA gallery.
The sitting area is completed by a chair by the Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek and polka-dot cushions by Yayoi Kusama. On the wall hangs artwork by Django Hernandez, Michel François and Marcel Dzama. The floor lamp with a lampshade of African fabric is a piece by the Austrian artist Franz West.
On the patio side of the room there is a study area, with a unit also designed by Feduchi.
On one shelf sits a skull sculpture by Christoph Steinmeyer.
The idea behind these pieces of furniture was to create a continuous wooden wall that would conceal structural pillars, drawers and electronic devices, many of which can be used without opening the cupboards, thanks to the holes that have been drilled in the doors.
As important as adequately displaying Bardín’s impressive collection was the need to balance indoors and out and create an open space. The apartment had previously been made up of a number of smaller rooms. Feduchi knocked down the walls between them and also replaced its plaster of Paris with concrete beams to give the whole space a nice geometric touch, and define separate zones within it.
“We saw from the beginning that we had to create an open space plan into which the patio could be fully integrated, [so that it would be possible] to enjoy it to the max … When I am inside, the patio is also present due to the three doors that open to it. On the other hand, when I am outside, the inside is still present, and I have a full view of what goes on inside … if there is a nice day, it is great to open it all and let the perfume of the plants and the light come inside,” says Bardín.
As important as adequately displaying Bardín’s impressive collection was the need to balance indoors and out and create an open space. The apartment had previously been made up of a number of smaller rooms. Feduchi knocked down the walls between them and also replaced its plaster of Paris with concrete beams to give the whole space a nice geometric touch, and define separate zones within it.
“We saw from the beginning that we had to create an open space plan into which the patio could be fully integrated, [so that it would be possible] to enjoy it to the max … When I am inside, the patio is also present due to the three doors that open to it. On the other hand, when I am outside, the inside is still present, and I have a full view of what goes on inside … if there is a nice day, it is great to open it all and let the perfume of the plants and the light come inside,” says Bardín.
The patio is an oasis within the city. Bardín says she has breakfast here, organises dinners for her friends and plays with her grandchildren in this outdoor space.
The apple tree in the photo was already there when Bardín moved in. Now she makes cakes from its apples.
The firm Pot Shop took charge of the patio landscape design and chose plants that would each have different flowers. Once they grow some more, the whole wall will be covered in different types of climbing ivy that will give the impression of a wild, leafy space.
The apple tree in the photo was already there when Bardín moved in. Now she makes cakes from its apples.
The firm Pot Shop took charge of the patio landscape design and chose plants that would each have different flowers. Once they grow some more, the whole wall will be covered in different types of climbing ivy that will give the impression of a wild, leafy space.
The tile floor was also there before Bardín moved in. Though it’s a bit old, Bardín finds it quite charming. The table and chairs are by La Europea – she bought them, as well, at the El Rastro market.
Feduchi would have chosen a more daring, Barragán-inspired colour palette for this space, but Bardín wanted it to have more muted tones, so that the plants could take centre stage: “The colours you find in the interior belong to the objects, and I did not buy them because of colour but because the artist or designer was interesting to me, so the amount of colours is totally by chance … In the patio, I did not dare to be bolder with the colours … For me it was more interesting to leave this to the plants, [and have them] be the main attraction, and it is my intention that in the future they will invade all the walls.”
Feduchi would have chosen a more daring, Barragán-inspired colour palette for this space, but Bardín wanted it to have more muted tones, so that the plants could take centre stage: “The colours you find in the interior belong to the objects, and I did not buy them because of colour but because the artist or designer was interesting to me, so the amount of colours is totally by chance … In the patio, I did not dare to be bolder with the colours … For me it was more interesting to leave this to the plants, [and have them] be the main attraction, and it is my intention that in the future they will invade all the walls.”
The apartment opens out to the patio through three large sets of French doors: two from the living room, and one from the master bedroom. Bardín likes to wake up “in the sunlight looking at the vegetation”.
The ceiling helps extend the outside in. “The lattice over my bed was the architect’s idea,” says Bardín. “He wanted to give the impression of height, which is why he put a filter between the bed and the actual ceiling. The ceiling in Klein blue gives the impression of an endless sky, it is very relaxing when you look up at it.”
This sense of transition and upward movement is reinforced by the neon ladder on the wall – another piece by her friend, artist Carlos Schwartz. It is “a light ladder that climbs to heaven, to the infinite. In the place where I placed it, it is enhanced by the blue ceiling.”
The bedhead is birch wood and separates the bedroom area from the dressing room and bathroom.
The ceiling helps extend the outside in. “The lattice over my bed was the architect’s idea,” says Bardín. “He wanted to give the impression of height, which is why he put a filter between the bed and the actual ceiling. The ceiling in Klein blue gives the impression of an endless sky, it is very relaxing when you look up at it.”
This sense of transition and upward movement is reinforced by the neon ladder on the wall – another piece by her friend, artist Carlos Schwartz. It is “a light ladder that climbs to heaven, to the infinite. In the place where I placed it, it is enhanced by the blue ceiling.”
The bedhead is birch wood and separates the bedroom area from the dressing room and bathroom.
Feduchi designed everything in the bathroom himself, and every single detail has been carefully planned. Bardín is still surprised by how well organised it is. “To have an organised dressing room is, I think, everyone’s dream … what I really like about it is that even if it is packed with things the organisation makes it look more spacious and integrates perfectly with the rest of the bathroom area.”
The shower area is a small insulated cabin with the same tiles as in the entrance.
There is also a second bedroom with an attached guest bathroom, which plays with contrast in another way. The flower wallpaper on the wall is juxtaposed against the geometric floor. The dropped ceiling here allows for storage space. The lightbulb lamp at the entrance is Cornucopia by Álvaro Catalán de Ocón.
As Bardín says, a house “is like a symphony, which has slow parts and lively parts. A house is not a single song, it is a repertoire that you listen to as you wander around it. It would be boring if it had only one rhythm.”
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More
Want more interesting design? Take a look at last week’s Milan Houzz Tour: A Sliding Unit Creates a Multi-Functional Space
Tell us
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to like the story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
More
Want more interesting design? Take a look at last week’s Milan Houzz Tour: A Sliding Unit Creates a Multi-Functional Space
Who lives here: Rocío Bardín, gallery owner and art consultant
Location: Argüelles District, close to the Oeste Park, Madrid, Spain
Size: 110 square metres, with two bedrooms and a big patio
Bardín had been looking for a penthouse or at least an apartment with a good terrace. She never thought a ground floor apartment would be her pick, but when she saw this home’s big patio she couldn’t resist.
She had asked Pedro Feduchi, an architect who used to exhibit his furniture at the OA gallery, to design the space. “He had also visited my previous home many times, so he knew my needs and my taste,” says Bardín.
Though she worried that she may have been too quick to jump on this apartment, Feduchi was also enthusiastic: “He saw the light that comes into the house from the patio and urged me to buy it immediately,” says Bardín.