Design Direction

Warm, elegant, and layered. The brief calls for a softened contemporary approach — classic bones updated with a modern, fresher sensibility. Colonial-inspired accents through wallpaper and accessories rather than architecture. Luxurious but not formal, impressive yet intimate.

Who Lives Here

A family of four — Nina and Björn, with daughters Sofia (Year 1) and Mila (4.5 years old). The apartment is on two floors: entrance, open-plan living/dining/kitchen, principal bedroom, and Mila's room on the upper floor; Sofia's room, children's shared bathroom, and utility room on the lower floor.

Renovation Scope

• Entrance hall layout changes including new walk-in cloakroom
• New powder room (reconfigured footprint)
• Open kitchen — removal of non-load-bearing wall
• New kitchen with peninsula, bar/niche, entertainment wall
• Natural stone fireplace with bioethanol burner
• Full redo of master bathroom
• Full redo of children's shared bathroom
• Curtains and Roman blinds throughout
• Custom joinery — entertainment wall, kitchen, wardrobes
• Full electrical rewire — antique brass faceplates throughout

Atmosphere — Per Space

• Entrance Hall: Warm and welcoming, impressive yet intimate
• Powder Room: Escapism, colonial sensibility, exotic luxury
• Living & Dining: Warm, elegant, and layered — calm European quality
• Kitchen: Refined, functional, beautifully detailed
• Principal Suite: Cosy, elegant, and luxurious — a genuine retreat
• Mila's Room: Dreamy, magical, cloud-like
• Sofia's Room: Warm sunrise energy — sunny and joyful
• Lower Hallway: Warm, considered, acoustically soft

Timeline

Preferred start: September 2026 (late August / early September). Summer 2026 not feasible. Fallback: spring 2027. No hard deadline. The family will vacate during works. Alternative accommodation to be arranged — a known challenge given the Munich market.

Atmosphere

An intimate yet elevated arrival. Stylish and curated — not showy. Immediately setting a high tone for the rest of the home. The space is compact, so the goal is warmth and luxury at a domestic, human scale.

Wall Treatment

• Lower third: Decorative picture-frame panel moulding — adds depth and elegance without reducing perceived space. Full wainscoting not preferred.
• Upper two-thirds: Option A — Arte Maui Linen (subtle botanical palm, neutral palette); Option B — grasscloth or Arte Fenua Champagne. Must harmonise with the powder room and dining wallpapers.
• Runner: Full-length patterned runner along the traffic area — a deliberate design choice.

Console Required

• Floating, wall-mounted with two drawers
• Max depth 30 cm · Max width 80 cm
• Positioned opposite the bifold cloakroom door
• Hardware: Armac Martin Grove round knobs (antique brass)
• Dressed with home fragrance, framed photos, small vase

Walk-in Cloakroom

• Bifold door with botanical wallpaper panels (dark ground — branches, leaves, berries on taupe/charcoal with silver-white tones)
• Hooks, shoe rack, coat hanging, pouf tucked into corner
• Dedicated shelf with integrated sockets for e-bike battery charging
• Mirror inside with picture light above

Lighting

• Wall sconces — primary ambient light in hallway and cloakroom. Dimmable.
• Statement ceiling pendant or small chandelier — slender, scaled to 2.45 m ceiling. Reference: Rousseau Ceiling Lamp Brass (newporthome.de)
• All switches and sockets: antique brass faceplates — no white plastic
• Smart lighting subject to budget

Flooring

New wide-plank white-oiled oak boards (layout changing so all current boards removed). Possible upgrade: herringbone parquet with antique brass trim inset. Flush-recessed coir mat at threshold framed with aged brass — subject to powder room door swing finalisation.

Spatial Layout

On entry through the large sliding door from the hall: fireplace directly ahead, sitting area with entertainment wall to the right, dining table with banquette to the left, bar/wine niche beyond dining, kitchen along the left wall with peninsula extending into the room.

Walls & Finishes

• Walls & skirting: Farrow & Ball Dimity throughout living, dining, and hallway
• Ceiling & coving: Farrow & Ball Pointing
• Skirting boards: 9–10 cm deep — taller than existing (confirmed upgrade)
• Concealed LED strip: 2700K warm white, dimmable, behind coving all around the open-plan zone

Dining Table New

• Rectangular, 200 × 100 cm, rounded corners — no sharp edges
• Day-to-day: 4; guests: up to 8
• At least 4 upholstered chairs — swivel base, armrests, performance fabric
• Built-in banquette along the wall — bespoke, part of renovation

Dining Wall Treatment

• Three panels of moulding — treated as framed art
• Wallpaper or decorative insert within each panel (mounted on removable backing boards)
• Two antique brass wall sconces flanking the panels
• Spirit: toile-inspired landscape mural in soft taupe on cream — three framed artworks

Bar / Wine / Tea Niche

• Dark joinery finish — deliberately contrasting with the kitchen's Pointing cabinetry
• Stone worktop: Option A — Calacatta Oro throughout (warm golden marble); Option B — Taj Mahal with wallpaper splashback
• Undercounter wine/champagne fridge
• Min. 80 cm clearance between niche joinery and dining table for fridge access
• Interior: same dark walnut/smoked oak as kitchen drawer boxes — the key detail that ties both zones together

Fireplace Confirmed

• Bioethanol — good quality specification
• Position: wall between window and patio door (not on entertainment wall)
• Mantel: honed Calacatta Oro marble — bolection profile, generous thickness, possibly fluted detailing
• Option A: modern bolection, minimal profiling; Option B: classical bolection, column legs, stepped shelf
• Armchair + small round side table between fireplace and patio door

Entertainment Wall Custom Joinery

• Floor-to-ceiling bespoke joinery — TV recessed centrally
• Below TV: Calacatta Oro stone-lined niche for decorative candles
• Left: closed storage at ~80 cm, pull-out dumbbell drawer, drinks tray surface, stationery cupboard
• Right: seasonal storage, large monitor cupboard (Apple Studio Display)
• Throughout: open display shelves, backlit 2700K LED
• Colour: Oxford Stone (warmer, more grounding) or Joas White (lighter) — test pots recommended

Bedroom — Atmosphere

Primarily for sleeping and dressing. No TV. Cosy and luxurious — a place to start and end the day well. The existing bed (180×200, plush velvety upholstery in dark antique rose, no sharp corners) is retained — excellent quality, not being replaced.

Bedroom — Colour & Finishes

• Walls: Farrow & Ball Dimity (working assumption — open for review)
• Radiators: Painted Dimity to match walls — visually recede
• Wallpaper: To be decided — all-over or feature wall option open
• Window sills: Taj Mahal quartzite (consistent with rest of apartment)

Bedroom — Lighting

• All existing fittings replaced — too cold and unattractive
• Above bed: warm, soft ceiling light — no sharp forms (soft/organic/sculptural shape)
• Near full-length mirror: pendant chandelier-style — characterful, not too low
• Wardrobe corridor: considered ceiling fitting
• Table lamps on bedside tables — no wall-mounted reading lights (avoids opening walls)
• All 2700K, dimmable

Bedroom — Window Treatments In scope

• Roman blind on bedroom window
• Floor-to-ceiling blackout curtains for patio door — one row only
• Fabric: rich, heavy, light-blocking; dark taupe / warm brown / deep beige with subtle pattern
• Air conditioning: to be installed — wall-mounted discreetly near ensuite door

Master Bathroom — Atmosphere

Warm, indulgent, and timeless. Primary reference: Sophie Paterson Interiors, The Peninsula Project (London) — warm stone, aged brass, fluted glass WC door, taupe joinery. Also referencing: Mandarin Oriental Emirates Palace (Abu Dhabi) and St. Regis hotels. Classic and timeless — not cold, hard, or ultra-minimalist.

Master Bathroom — Key Fixtures

• Bath: Semi-built-in or built-in, generous stone surround — subject to 10 m² layout review
• Shower: Walk-in, frameless or aged brass-framed glass, rain head + handset, recessed stone niche, built-in Calacatta Oro bench
• WC: Geberit AquaClean, wall-hung, bidet function, activated-carbon odour absorption. Ideally in a separate compartment behind a fluted glass door in brass frame
• Basins: Double — two integrated stone basins in continuous Calacatta Oro worktop, warm taupe joinery beneath, Armac Martin Grove knob variants
• Mirrors: Two recessed mirror cabinets — fully inset, not surface-mounted

Master Bathroom — Materials

• Walls & floor: Calacatta Oro marble — large-format slabs (walls), herringbone mosaic or stone with mother-of-pearl inlay border (floor). Honed throughout.
• Mother of pearl accent: Desired — splashback, shower wall detail, or floor inlay. Luminous, subtle.
• Taps: Gessi, aged brass throughout
• Underfloor heating: Electric mat confirmed
• Ventilation: Top-of-range, low-noise, concealed grille

Wall Treatment

• Lower third (to dado rail): Applied moulding/beading panels — same architectural language as upper floor hallway. Creates coherent language continuing down the staircase.
• Above dado rail: Leading option — continuation of upper floor hallway wallpaper (Arte Maui Linen or companion Arte Fenua Champagne / Arte Bambusa Sand). Creates a single unbroken visual journey between both floors. Acoustic quality or textile/woven substrate strongly preferred.
• The same wallpaper continues from upper hallway → staircase → lower hallway.

Lighting

• Simple coving (unfussy profile) with concealed 2700K LED strip — confirmed, continues along staircase ceiling
• Night lighting: lamp left on low (floor lamp or table lamp on pedestal table) — softer than ceiling LED for children navigating stairs at night

Furniture

• Seating: Upholstered bench, small two-seater sofa, or settee — high quality, durable fabric (boucle, chenille, heavy linen), warm earthy tone
• Pedestal table: Compact, characterful, dressed with vase, photographs, decorative box. Lamp on table ideally (socket to be confirmed with electrician)
• Console/sideboard: Slim, practical surface for the utility corridor zone
• Rugs: Round rug in seating area + runner along corridor length
• Laundry basket: Generously sized, freestanding — positioned here (not in children's bathroom)

Flooring

Existing white-oiled oak plank flooring retained throughout — no change. Boards are only a few years old and in excellent condition. Skirting boards also retained (lower ceiling height makes taller skirting inappropriate here).

Minor Repairs Required

• Behind children's bathroom: one skirting board with mould in silicone seal — full removal, treatment, and resealing required (not simply painted over)
• Utility room: one tile lifted due to inadequate subfloor prep — to be relaid correctly with proper adhesive bed and grout joint

Utility & Laundry Room

• Two washing machines (one additional) + tumble dryer
• Bespoke utility sink built by bathroom contractor — fitted into narrow niche between washing machines. Aged brass-style tap (practical, not premium).
• Worktop across top of storage cabinets — folding + luggage surface
• Simple closed storage — off-the-shelf cabinets acceptable, neutral colour
• Existing Porcelanosa Calacatta Oro large-format tiles retained — no change