00:01Salsa is always present in my life and that sense of rhythm, joy and movement
00:05is also part of the atmosphere I wanted to bring into this apartment.
00:13What I wanted was to transform the space into a place that,
00:16despite its small size, would lead you through different areas.
00:23Each with its own personality based on joy and color.
00:30It was also important that the space were versatile,
00:34that they could be used in different ways depending on the needs of each moment.
00:41This apartment was originally a dark attic and felt very outdated.
00:47We wanted to make it feel as spacious as possible
00:51and better connected to the exterior and natural light.
00:55My name is Albert Montilla and I'm the founder of the Barcelona based studio Midor Arquitectura.
01:00My name is Alejandro, I'm an art director and the owner of this apartment.
01:04I have been living here for about one year.
01:13The apartment is in Malasaña, a neighborhood in the historic center of Madrid.
01:19Malasaña is known for its modern and creative atmosphere.
01:23It's also one of the youngest and most lively areas in the city.
01:28The area has many cafes, wine shops and vintage stores.
01:32And the apartment is very close to Gran Villa, one of the most famous avenues in Madrid.
01:39The building dates back to the 19th century.
01:42The attic floors were traditionally used as accommodation for domestic staff.
01:49This was because they had sloped ceilings that made the spaces less comfortable.
01:55It had a lot of potential though, because being on the upper floor,
01:59it had plenty of natural light floating in from the interior courtyard.
02:06Originally, the apartment felt rather small.
02:08It had a narrow corridor in one corner that made it have an odd shape.
02:13It led to a very uncomfortable small kitchen and the bathroom at the other end.
02:17The bedroom was placed at the opposite corner of the room and had one small window, very high up.
02:24The main change we made during the renovation was to remove the corridor that led to the kitchen and bathroom.
02:30With this small improvement, the living room instantly felt like a more usable space and more pleasant.
02:36The kitchen was moved to the far side of the living room to create an open plain layout.
02:41This allowed the bathroom to be isolated and have more space.
02:46The attic space was completely opened and can be used as an extension of the living room.
02:51Lastly, we converted the storage nook to become Alejandro's office by changing the direction that the door opens.
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04:10The apartment is accessed directly from the stairwell.
04:15The stairs are original to the building and the entrance door is original too.
04:23I use the shelf inside the bedroom area to leave my keys, my wallet and anything I have in my
04:29pockets when I come in.
04:35As soon as you enter, you can see the living room and the kitchen.
04:39We wanted the living room to be a clear and practical space.
04:45For this reason, we decided to remove the false ceiling which helped create a greater sense of openness and also
04:51reveal the original wooden beams.
04:55In terms of furniture, there is a two-seat sofa that can be converted into a bed for guests.
05:06And a chrome table with a transparent glass top.
05:10The idea was for the table to feel almost invisible in the space.
05:18This area of the apartment has more neutral tones with grey micro-cement floors and white walls.
05:27The decoration adds a lot of colour.
05:32There is a movie poster which I found in an antique shop in the Philippines.
05:37And my kids hearing skateboards on the wall opposite.
05:43Because we gained a lot of height in the living room, it made sense to think vertically and use that
05:48height for extra storage.
05:51That is why we added a shelf just below the wooden beams.
05:56I used it for decorative objects, some magazines, a lamp and a projector.
06:03Which I used to watch movies using the wall opposite.
06:12Before the renovation, this bedroom was so small that only the bed could fit and there was no space for
06:17a wardrobe.
06:19So we removed the wall and added folding doors to hide the bedroom when needed and give it privacy.
06:29We also grazed the floor to use the space under the bed as storage, turning it into a large custom
06:34-made storage bed.
06:41On the left, there is a movable yellow cabinet with five drawers.
06:45And on the right, a small closet that I mainly use to store seasonal clothes.
06:55At the back, there is a deeper storage area for things like suitcases.
07:04It can be accessed by lifting the platform under the mattress.
07:08But it also needed to be high enough for me to open the door and crawl inside when needed.
07:19Inside the bedroom, there are also four upper cabinets for bedding.
07:26Two yellow reading lamps.
07:29And a lithographic print that says Sancocho, which refers to a traditional Colombian dish and also my favorite food.
07:39The bedroom also has a one window, making this small area feel brighter and more comfortable.
07:49There is a shelf on the left for small objects, which also acts as a ladder to the loft space
07:57above.
08:01This gives me even more storage.
08:11The kitchen is quite simple and functional and it was designed to make the most of the space.
08:17We decided to use only wide low cabinets, so the kitchen would not draw too much attention.
08:25Behind the cabinetry, there is a microwave oven combo, a fridge and a freezer.
08:32We even managed to include a washer dryer in this area.
08:39We chose round handles to match the design of the apartment.
08:44The countertop is made of white quartz.
08:48It is a durable and affordable material and it blends nicely with the white cabinets.
08:54For the backsplash, we chose a light gray and white glass mosaic tile, which connects well with the quartz countertop.
09:02Above the counter there is an extractor hood on one side and a polished aluminum unit on the other.
09:10We also covered the wall between the kitchen and the bathroom with a mirror.
09:15This helps soften the boundary between both rooms, hides the wall of the pocket door and makes the countertop feel
09:24much longer.
09:30On the attic side of the apartment are two of my favorite areas.
09:37These areas are separated from the living room by a floor to ceiling blackout curtain.
09:45This allows me to open or close the space.
09:49And control the amount of light that comes in.
09:57On one side there is a small workspace accessed from the living room.
10:03It has a desk supported by a storage unit, which also hides all internet and communication cables.
10:17The second area is the covered terrace.
10:21Which is definitely my favorite spot in the apartment.
10:28It's a small space with a lot of natural light, thanks to a large Berlux style window.
10:36Which also has a green shade to block out the sun.
10:44The plants and the slightly tropical atmosphere make it feel very calm and relaxing.
10:52I usually sit here to listen to salsa music.
11:07There are four IKEA units that I customized with wheels and green vinyl.
11:14They are mainly used for storage but they can also work as seats when I have guests.
11:26The bathroom is accessed from the living room through a sliding door.
11:33And it is mainly made of blue glass mosaic tiles from floor to ceiling.
11:39It's divided into two areas separated by a mirrored wall.
11:44In the front area there is a birch wood countertop with a round porcelain sink.
11:50A round mirror and a matching shelf with some hay crates for towels and personal items.
11:59This area also has a window that brings in natural light especially around midday.
12:06At the back there is the toilet and built-in shower separated by a white shower curtain.
12:12This area also has a small window which helps with ventilation and lets the steam out of the shower.
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