Turning a former office into a homely loft space is no mean feat. Dealing with the sheer size and dimensions of the rooms is a challenge, along with finding furniture that isn't dwarfed by the room.
Dutch interior and furniture designer Robert Kolenik took on this exact challenge in a Brussels property, seeking to show you how a spaciously set up industrial apartment can be decorated as a warm, comfortable loft.
‘Interior design for larger homes like this is all about using space in the right way. Most standard furniture is too small and therefore gets lost in the surroundings,’ Kolenik explains. ‘To fit with the space as a whole whilst maintaining its ruggedness, I use sturdy furniture that chimes with the industrial environment.’
The living room is 20 meters deeps and 10 meters wide, so Kolenik adjusted the furniture to these measurements. A six metre-long lounge suite looks impressive in the living room, along with an 80-inch television.
In the kitchen, there's an almost four metre-long kitchen table, and along the walls, there are large cabinets fashioned from blue steel and smoked glass.
Other striking elements in the design are the tree trunk used as a table leg for the kitchen table, the Gregg chandeliers by Foscarini hanging above it, and a solid wood medicine cabinet in the bathroom. The sturdy workmanship of the building, such as its concrete ceiling and supporting beams, is preserved.
In Brussels, they have a structural oversupply, meaning a large number of offices have been vacant for years. As more and more of these are converted for other functions, like housing, Kolenik believes his loft transformation should serve as inspiration for other buildings.
He is something of a rising star among designers, known for his sustainable interiors using natural materials. He garnered international renown when he designed a kitchen counter featuring a large aquarium, and a car-port with built-in solar panels for recharging electric cars.
He is also responsible for the interior design of various restaurants and hotels, such as the iconic round hotel beside the A2 in Amsterdam.
