The client wanted a particularly individual touch for a spacious maisonette apartment in Cologne's Rheinauhafen: the rooms in the renovated old building were to be luxuriously furnished in a baroque style - in particular, the personal favorite colors purple and green were to be combined in an all-present way. Cologne-based interior design firm Lotos developed a concept that defies the usual kitschy clichés: Stylistic elements are taken up in the interior of the entire apartment, but at the same time interpreted in a contemporary way and broken up with a pinch of humor.

The biggest challenge in the project was the creative balancing act between period furniture, bold colors, elegant wallpaper, opulent fabrics and yet modern-looking, functional furnishings. The residential unit, which faces the Rhine with high pointed gable walls, has completely glazed sloping roofs that allow daylight to flood into the open air space with gallery floor. The dining area was placed under this enormous glass roof facing the sky. The view through the windows is particularly framed by the powerful purple: the view is led outwards and yet remains fixed at a central point - comparable to a baroque castle. The golden, dynamically moving pendant light interprets the traditional chandelier in a modern way. A heavy velvet curtain can also be used to flexibly separate the rear living area from the dining area. The significantly lower and darker living room has a cozy interior and can therefore also be used as a home cinema. The ethanol fireplace is a piece of furniture designed to serve as a room divider between the kitchen and the winding staircase. The interplay of green and purple runs like a red thread through the entire apartment, shaping both the wallpaper and the choice of colors for the furniture and fabrics. In the sleeping area alone, wallpaper in shades of red and gold was used, which seems to glow in the sunlight. In every room, including the bathrooms, wallpaper was used on the walls, ceilings and sloping ceilings to counteract the rather sober, modern basic design of the apartment and create an atmosphere rich in nuances. The sloping ceilings were optimally utilized with custom-made built-in furniture, which provides plenty of additional storage space.

www.lotos-innenarchitektur.de

Photos:
Manfred Weber
www.mwfotostudio.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 04|24)