On the job...
During the renovation, Marius approached his apartment as if it were one big room. The only element he retained from the original space was the parquet flooring in the living room, passage and bedroom. “It was challenging: there was only one type of lighting in all the rooms, all the walls were white, and although the apartment had a modern kitchen and bathroom, there was also a black-and-white theme throughout,” he explains.
The first step was to remove some of the walls to get rid of the various poky rooms. “I demolished the long L-shaped wall between the living room, passage and kitchen, as well as part of the wall between the kitchen and balcony. This immediately made the whole apartment much lighter,” Marius says.
The balcony was divided in two by a sliding door, with a red cement floor on one side and a white tiled floor on the other. “The space was completely underutilised and cut off from the rest of the flat,” says Marius. The old floors were lifted and recycled parquet blocks laid so that the floor in the living room and on the balcony would be the same. Now, one half of the balcony is used as a dining area and the other half as a home office.
The bathroom and kitchen were completely gutted and redesigned. “I got quotes from three respected kitchen companies but one of them immediately declined because they said it would be impossible to fit a washing machine, dishwasher, stove and refrigerator in the available space.
“Of course, there are always a few surprises. The kitchen plans had just been finalised when we realised the distribution board couldn’t be moved. So there it stayed, on a wall I really wanted to break out completely. Fortunately, everything worked out perfectly and it looks as if it was planned all along.” >>
[DÉCOR & ART]
“I prefer unfussy décor,” says Marius. His palette is neutral: predominantly black and white with pops of colour to brighten it up. The white walls are mostly covered with artworks – one of his great passions. “When I chance upon the right piece of art, it gets my heart racing and I know I won’t be able to leave that gallery or exhibition without it! If something speaks to me, I am drawn to it but I also talk to experts and do a little homework first. And with every purchase, I promise myself it won’t happen again...” The old kitchen was a narrow space with just enough room for a stove and fridge. The new kitchen has it all: plenty of shelving, a washing machinecum-tumble dryer in a tall cupboard, and a dishwasher. “It was a huge challenge, but Tao Arthur of Kitch Inc came up with the perfect design,” says Marius.