Old World Meets Modern: A Casual but Elegant Pre-War Flat on the Baltic Coast

Once again, we find ourselves in the familiar position of being utterly charmed by a Colombe Design project. (We’ve waxed poetic about their projects many times before: see here and here.) There are similarities between the residences the firm designs—Old World high ceilings, striking architectural details, an emphasis on sculptural statement lighting—but this one, while just as elegant as the other projects, has a whimsical casualness all its own.

This sophisticated but relaxed approach was largely informed by the apartment’s seaside location in Sopot, on Poland’s Baltic Coast. “Sopot has a very elegant, pre-war-vibe. It’s where many people from Warsaw (and Sweden) buy their summer houses,” explains Colombe founder Marta Chrapka. “The houses are mostly wooden, in pastel colors, and with stained glass, typical for the region.”

The clients, a couple (she’s a travel magazine editor; he’s a film director), wanted a vacation home that referenced the natural beauty of the area while respecting the building’s refined classical architecture. Chrapka’s solution: a pale palette, light pine floors, and a fuss-free, spare mix of Scandi, modern, and antiques.

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Photography by Pion Studio, courtesy of Colombe Design.