Design sculpture on the kitchen counter as an artistic focal point in the OOOOX 1930s apartment kitchen

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First Republic-era apartment in Brno

A 1930s functionalist apartment with everything that comes with it. Large rooms, high ceilings, and the kind of natural light that has mostly disappeared from new apartments today. We did not want to turn it into a nostalgic replica of the past. The goal was simply not to ruin what had already worked here for almost a hundred years.

The windows were intentionally left exposed. No heavy layers around them. The entire interior is built around curved forms and soft furniture volumes. Arches and rounded geometries repeat throughout the apartment — from the kitchen to the dining table and even the lighting inspired by the 1930s.

The palette is deliberately restrained. Not to make the apartment disappear, but to create enough calm for art, objects, and the owners’ collections to stand out.

A kitchen without sharp edges

The curves are not just details. Entire furniture volumes are rounded, including the tall kitchen units. It softens the scale of the kitchen and keeps the space from feeling heavy.

All cabinetry is finished in a custom textured veneer made from semi-circular profiles. The surface reacts to light differently throughout the day and gives the wood a subtle depth without needing additional decoration.

The veneer color was matched directly to the flooring. We wanted to avoid the common mistake of layering multiple wood tones next to each other in one room until the interior starts feeling chaotic. It often happens in spaces trying too hard to feel “warm.”

The stone surfaces were kept intentionally quiet. Soft grey tones balance the expressive texture of the wood.

View of the kitchen with herringbone parquet floor and oval island in the 1930s functionalist apartment in Brno

Integrated wine fridge set into ribbed veneer cabinet in the kitchen of the reconstructed 1930s Brno apartment

Close-up of custom ribbed veneer cabinet doors with semicircular profiles in the bespoke Brno kitchen

Detail of a ribbed veneer kitchen drawer with stone worktop in the 1930s functionalist apartment

Detail of ribbed veneer kitchen cabinet doors with semicircular profiles matched to the parquet flooring

Kitchen workspace with grey oval stone worktop, sink and designer wine fridge in the 1930s Brno apartment

Two Ovals

The kitchen island is built around the intersection of two oval geometries. The same principle appears again in the dining table. These rounded forms make the large volumes feel lighter and allow the entire space to flow much more naturally than traditional rectangular layouts. Above the island hang polished chrome lights inspired by the 1930s. Not as retro decoration, but as a natural continuation of the apartment’s original era.

Oval kitchen island with dark stone worktop and ribbed veneer in a reconstructed 1930s functionalist apartment in Brno

Living room without a TV

There is no television here on purpose. A projection screen is hidden inside the ceiling and disappears completely when not in use. The living room had to work primarily for art, objects, and collections. That is why the interior palette was reduced almost to a minimum. If the space itself became too expressive, the artwork would stop working. Full-height curtains also play an important role. They soften both the acoustics and the light while bringing a sense of intimacy to the otherwise generous proportions of the apartment.

Purple metallic artwork on the wall of the living room with grey sofas, black figurative sculpture as an artistic focal point in the living room of the reconstructed 1930s Brno apartment

Projection screen concealed in the ceiling as a TV alternative in the living room of the Brno apartment

Full view of the living room with chandelier, sofas and art collection in the 1930s functionalist apartment, OOOOX

Full view of the living room with chandelier, sofas and art collection in the 1930s functionalist apartment

View of the living room with projection screen and art collection in the OOOOX 1930s apartment in Brno

Bedroom defined by built-in dark veneer furniture with a ribbed headboard panel in the 1930s apartment

Bedroom without walls

The bedroom is not separated by a traditional partition. The division is created only by built-in furniture.

This keeps the apartment open and airy even in spaces meant to feel more private. The same approach continues through the material palette — dark wood, textiles, and as few unnecessary layers as possible.