Penthouse in Les Corts

At Coblonal, we understand that every comprehensive renovation is an opportunity to reconcile past and present, functionality and aesthetics, history and future. This time, the challenge was daunting: a 95 m² penthouse surrounded by a large outdoor terrace was in critical original condition, with an inconsistent layout, low energy efficiency, and precious materials covered and worn by the passage of time.

The objective: to completely transform the home, redistribute its layout, improve its energy performance, and, above all, recover the character of its original materials, marble and rosewood, integrating them into a new and functional design.

This penthouse has been completely redesigned and redesigned, transforming it into a bright, functional, and contemporary home adapted to today’s needs.

The new distribution revolves around an open and articulating day area that integrates the living room, kitchen and office/study area. In the night area, three double bedrooms have been created, one en suite, and an additional full bathroom. In parallel, as extra features, the house includes an independent laundry area and an outdoor terrace open to the views.

The kitchen, which was originally separate and located in a poorly lit and unused area, has become part of an open space that promotes the visual and functional connection between the different day areas.

And the change in distribution has been essential. Thanks to this strategic spatial reorganization, an extra room has been gained and an old bedroom area with a dressing room has been appropriately zoned, transforming it into two rooms that now have natural light. The original kitchen has become a dining area and office.

Thus, the new design offers a more fluid reading, improving circulation flows, functionality and reinforcing the feeling of spaciousness.

Rescued materials as the narrative axis of the project

One of the great challenges of this intervention was to preserve and integrate the original materials of the apartment: natural marble and rosewood. The marble, which covered part of the kitchen walls and other elements of the apartment, was carefully extracted, treated and repositioned in different areas of the house.

These salvaged materials are joined by other new ones that complete the proposal: large-format continuous porcelain flooring throughout the home, oak wood for some cabinets, black metal in furniture details and stainless steel as the main material in the kitchen.

Entrance and dining room: visual opening with vintage furniture

Upon entering, the “Coblonal box”, one of our signature designs, made of oak and a black metal niche, welcomes you to the space.

Next, you enter the dining room, a space featuring a large original marble table, restored and polished, accompanied by four original 1960s Cesca chairs by designer Marcel Breuer, also recovered. The entire space is illuminated by a Vetra model pendant lamp with an amber finish, from the Marset brand.

Next to this area we find a small study area that we have equipped with a table, a chair, a floor lamp and a shelf, creating an ideal corner for work or reading.

Living room: a contemporary atmosphere

The living room is perfectly oriented thanks to the location of the sofa, facing a gas fireplace integrated into the wall, on which a television is placed. Under this fireplace, a custom-made low cabinet completes the composition.

The wall that connects to the suite is covered with wood paneling salvaged from the old dining room, reinforcing the connection between the present and the past.

Kitchen: a commitment to visual linearity and the play of volumes

The kitchen is made up of two distinct, but complementary areas:

1) Kitchen peninsula: functionality with character in stainless steel and marble

Made of stainless steel, it houses both the cooking and washing areas. The surface where the stools are located is made with one of the original pieces of marble, from one of the old steps that gave access to the terrace.

The stools and the hood, also in stainless steel, reinforce this monomaterial choice. In fact, this material behaves like a non-material material: it adopts the reflections, nuances and colors of the environment, providing brightness without visually overloading the space.

2) Kitchen front: visual order and natural warmth

Without tall furniture, the cabinets are finished in oak wood. This decision generates a horizontal reading of the space, favoring visual continuity and aesthetic lightness with respect to the overall look. All storage is solved with integrated doors that maintain formal cleanliness.

Thermal insulation: comfort and efficiency

Beyond the interior design, we have addressed essential construction aspects. In this regard, the penthouse suffered from a serious problem of overheating and low energy efficiency.

To solve this, all the aluminum carpentry was replaced, and thermal insulation was incorporated into all the perimeter walls of the building, significantly improving comfort and energy efficiency.

Double rooms: two styles, one line

Both bedrooms have double beds, oak wardrobes and floating bedside tables, which lightens the perception of space. Both have direct access to the outdoor terrace.

Each of these settings has a personalized design: one of the rooms follows an arid palette of coffee, amber, sand and beige tones, with lighting via sconces. However, the other orients towards a more Mediterranean aesthetic, with blue colors and natural fibers, and is illuminated by suspended lamps.

Auxiliary bathroom: material continuity and play of textures

The bathroom that serves the two double bedrooms and the living area maintains the aesthetic line of the kitchen front, extending its materiality to the hallway. This route is accompanied by indirect lighting embedded in the plasterboard, acting as a “wall bath”.

Master suite: natural stone headboard

The suite is accessed directly from the living room. The headboard of the bed has been custom-made with an oak front, on which seven slabs of reclaimed marble have been arranged. This piece acts as both a decorative and functional element.

The color scheme combines the neutral tones of the floor with a touch of blue that picks up the veins of the marble, also present in the small pillows on the bed. All this is accompanied by a sliding door that leads to the dressing room and private bathroom.

Open dressing room: uninterrupted continuity

The dressing room in the suite is completely open, without doors, and respects the same oak materiality. A door connects this space with the suite’s full bathroom.

Suite bathroom: from a stone setting with a nod to enameled materials

The en suite bathroom replicates the logic of the other bathroom: oak-effect cabinetry, sink on kitchen counter, matte black faucets and porcelain tiles covering both the floor and walls to offer a unified image.

In this case, we have incorporated a tall storage unit, also finished in oak, located above the toilet cistern. Under this module, a detail made with an original marble slab adds a note of visual and narrative continuity.

In the shower, the front has been covered with glazed tiles in caramel, toffee or amber tones, bringing warmth and texture to the space.

Improve a space from different perspectives

This penthouse represents a rehabilitation exercise that combines respect for the past and a vision for the future. Thanks to a comprehensive renovation, a strategic change of distribution and an efficient construction, Coblonal has transformed a space in critical condition into a contemporary, warm and energy-efficient home.

Marble and wood, history and modernity, intertwine in each space to tell a unique story: that of a flat that has come back to life without giving up its soul.

If you are looking to transform your space with a design that balances aesthetics and functionality, do not hesitate to contact us for personalized advice.

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Photographs by: ©Heidi Cavazos