Düsseldorf Before & After: Living it Up New York-Style in Germany
An elegant twist on classic coastal style inspired this ground-floor apartment redesign, creating an oasis in the city
Behind the inconspicuous facade of this 1950s building, a little urban oasis lay dormant, waiting for a new owner. Enter Daniel Arendt, who purchased a raised ground-floor apartment and brought onboard architect Susanna Maslankowski, who had previously worked with Arendt on his finds. “Our goal is to put the properties in a new context using radical changes,” says Maslankowski.
Arendt and Maslankowski wanted to convert the apartment into a fully furnished rental and transform it into a sanctuary that felt removed from the bustle of the city. To achieve their vision, Maslankowski shifted walls, widened doors and updated many features throughout.
The apartment during works.
“The renovation was very extensive. From my perspective, one difficulty was the initial indecision in terms of planning. There were many corners and boxed-in areas, both on the ceilings and because of the plumbing. The plan was only finalised after knocking through. Up to this point we worried a lot about whether our plans would work out at all,” says Arendt.
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“The renovation was very extensive. From my perspective, one difficulty was the initial indecision in terms of planning. There were many corners and boxed-in areas, both on the ceilings and because of the plumbing. The plan was only finalised after knocking through. Up to this point we worried a lot about whether our plans would work out at all,” says Arendt.
Take your home from ‘before’ to ‘after’ with a reviewed architect near you on Houzz
The apartment after works.
Nonetheless, they had a vision of a beach house in the middle of the city: “When I first entered the flat with its leafy views, I immediately thought about a beach house,” says Maslankowski. The lifestyle and decor of Long Island in New York State, USA, were this project’s conceptual leitmotif and formed the framework for an elegant take on coastal style.
Nonetheless, they had a vision of a beach house in the middle of the city: “When I first entered the flat with its leafy views, I immediately thought about a beach house,” says Maslankowski. The lifestyle and decor of Long Island in New York State, USA, were this project’s conceptual leitmotif and formed the framework for an elegant take on coastal style.
Floor plan before works.
The layout prior to works began had a small kitchen and a tight bathroom.
The layout prior to works began had a small kitchen and a tight bathroom.
Floor plan after works.
The new layout remedied both by merging the existing kitchen and bathroom into one large bathroom, and bringing the kitchen into the centre of the floor plan to create a combined kitchen/living/dining area.
The new layout remedied both by merging the existing kitchen and bathroom into one large bathroom, and bringing the kitchen into the centre of the floor plan to create a combined kitchen/living/dining area.
The kitchen before works.
The old galley kitchen (pictured) was small and offered little space for moving around. Maslankowski completely redesigned it. In doing so, she took a chance on an unconventional planning approach. “The corridor was larger than the kitchen. That’s why we then decided to shift the kitchen partially into the hall,” she says.
The old galley kitchen (pictured) was small and offered little space for moving around. Maslankowski completely redesigned it. In doing so, she took a chance on an unconventional planning approach. “The corridor was larger than the kitchen. That’s why we then decided to shift the kitchen partially into the hall,” she says.
The kitchen after works.
Maslankowski split the hallway with a partition and designed an additional second entrance to the living room after knocking through the wall. Square splashback tiles in varying shades are reminiscent of a turquoise sea and subtly pick up on the beach-house theme.
Browse more beach-style kitchens for inspiration
Maslankowski split the hallway with a partition and designed an additional second entrance to the living room after knocking through the wall. Square splashback tiles in varying shades are reminiscent of a turquoise sea and subtly pick up on the beach-house theme.
Browse more beach-style kitchens for inspiration
The kitchen sink, dishwasher, floor-to-ceiling kitchen cabinets and oven now stand in the hallway leading to the bedroom – an unconventional arrangement that works surprisingly well in the space.
The living room before works.
The existing living room felt tight, so Maslankowski knocked through one of the walls to create the second entrance to the room, while opening and widening the first entrance from the hallway (pictured in the ‘after’ photo above).
The existing living room felt tight, so Maslankowski knocked through one of the walls to create the second entrance to the room, while opening and widening the first entrance from the hallway (pictured in the ‘after’ photo above).
The kitchen/dining area after works.
The cooker is now located in a kitchen island in the open-plan space. The island also incorporates a dining area, which is right next to the long and completely updated run of glazing – now including a sliding door – which lets in lots of light.
The cooker is now located in a kitchen island in the open-plan space. The island also incorporates a dining area, which is right next to the long and completely updated run of glazing – now including a sliding door – which lets in lots of light.
Instead of the original tiled floor, there is now oak herringbone parquet – the Salzburg model from Woodline Parquetry – throughout. A balanced grey that elegantly stands out against white acts as the base colour for the living areas for a pleasant feel.
Timber wall panelling creates a cosy corner and also muffles any noise from the neighbouring apartment. Behind the panelling is the wall attachment for the TV, which can be moved on a swivel arm.
Timber wall panelling creates a cosy corner and also muffles any noise from the neighbouring apartment. Behind the panelling is the wall attachment for the TV, which can be moved on a swivel arm.
The living area before works.
Knocking through a wall merged the space originally occupied by the kitchen with that of the old bathroom. Bringing another wall down created even more space. This was the biggest challenge because of the complexities in the building fabric.
“We could only see the true proportions when we had already knocked down two walls. Then it got really dramatic again, and I had to use a lot of intuition in planning,” says Maslankowski.
“We could only see the true proportions when we had already knocked down two walls. Then it got really dramatic again, and I had to use a lot of intuition in planning,” says Maslankowski.
There was just about enough room in the otherwise tight space for an extravagant wellness bath. “That was really custom work,” says the architect, “And in the end we fulfilled all [the client’s] wishes.”
Next to a large walk-in shower and the new bathtub (before there was only a small shower) there was even space for a washer-drier. The shower screen, made out of anthracite glass from Parsol, adds additional privacy in this ground-floor home.
Next to a large walk-in shower and the new bathtub (before there was only a small shower) there was even space for a washer-drier. The shower screen, made out of anthracite glass from Parsol, adds additional privacy in this ground-floor home.
Although space was limited, the owner needed at least a small storage room with built-in shelves.
The office, which can also be used as a nursery if necessary, also benefits from a long row of windows.
The architect proposed extra-high doors with elegant detailing. Unfortunately, they had to depart from the plan here: although they built the doorframes at the correct height, the doors, which they had already ordered, did not fit. Due to the long wait times, Maslankowski abandoned this feature with a heavy heart, and had all seven doorframes readjusted accordingly. This delayed the original five-to-six-month timeline by an additional three to four months.
The apartment during works.
At the owner’s request, the doors and windows were brought up to current new standards, along with the sanitaryware and wiring. “It is always the best. At the end of the day the labour is the most expensive part. When you then select not the simplest but especially high-end fittings, this doesn’t tip the scales so much,” she says.
“It is a great joy to plan and tinker with Ms Maslankowski. It is amazing how well she can immerse herself in it already at the planning stage. The result was moreover much better than expected,” says Arendt.
At the owner’s request, the doors and windows were brought up to current new standards, along with the sanitaryware and wiring. “It is always the best. At the end of the day the labour is the most expensive part. When you then select not the simplest but especially high-end fittings, this doesn’t tip the scales so much,” she says.
“It is a great joy to plan and tinker with Ms Maslankowski. It is amazing how well she can immerse herself in it already at the planning stage. The result was moreover much better than expected,” says Arendt.
The apartment attracted the young owner primarily due to its sheltered but still central location. “Getting up in the morning, looking out onto nature and hearing birdsong, although you live in the city. You often see squirrels or spot the green parakeets that are common in Düsseldorf, which are often confused for parrots.”
A gigantic balcony, about 28 square metres high, stretches along the entire length of the apartment. In nice weather, it offers a comfy spot to relax or dine in fresh air, to the sound of birdsong. At the other end there is a storage space sheltered behind white louvred doors, where the surfboards might have been stored in a real beach house.
Your turn
Which features of this transformed apartment do you love the most? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the renovation conversation.
More
Keen to see another stellar makeover? Check out this Paris Before & After: All Bright in Black and White
Your turn
Which features of this transformed apartment do you love the most? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images for inspiration and join the renovation conversation.
More
Keen to see another stellar makeover? Check out this Paris Before & After: All Bright in Black and White
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple in their early 40s
Location: Düsseldorf, Germany
Size: 78 square metres
Designer: Susanna Maslankowski of Rooom.biz
The apartment is in an excellent location, close to the Rhine River and near the Düsseldorf city centre.