Restoring a Seriously ‘80s Madrid Apartment To Its Former Golden Age Glory

Formerly dark and insular, this 646-square-foot Madrid apartment has been reimagined as a luminous, refined interior with quietly Parisian notes. Located in the capital’s Justicia neighborhood—arguably the city center—architect Ángela Bermúdez helped the owners of this home as they were looking for a property to purchase.

“The apartment wasn’t appealing, but it had potential,” she says. “There were six rooms all off of a long, dark hallway. They had very low ceilings and looked like they hadn’t been updated since the 1980s.” But many apartments in Madrid present a similar challenge—they are divided into many small rooms, a stylistic choice that was popular in the 1970s and ‘80s in Spain.

Oak paneling and checkerboard floors are two recurring themes throughout the home, helping to create a common look for the space. Styling by Cristina Rodriguez Goitia.

“With many of them you can’t change the layout because the internal walls are also load-bearing ones,” Bermúdez explains. Though this apartment had a welcome surprise—nearly all of the internal partitions could be removed leaving a blank slate upon which Bermúdez could create an ideal home.

The owners, a young couple eager to enjoy life in the heart of Madrid, were excited for Bermúdez to get to work. Their only requirement? “A home that feels sophisticated despite its small size,” Bermúdez outlines. In just four months, the architect’s renovation exceeded the couple’s expectations.

The checkerboard floor and oak paneling are seen here in the kitchen. The kitchen is by Santos and was installed by Docrys. The stools, lamps, and cutting boards are from Zara Home. The white vases on the island are from Tristán Domecq Casa and the flowers are from Sakura Atelier. Styling by Cristina Rodriguez Goitia.

The sofa was designed by Bermúdez and custom-made with fabric by Nacho de la Vega. The pillows are from Zara Home and Pepe Peñalver. The artwork Luz Que No Lo Saben (Light They Do Not Know) is by Teresa J. Cuevas. Styling by Cristina Rodriguez Goitia.

The home was reimagined as a single space with as few divisions as possible. Bermúdez created a large common space that includes the living area, kitchen, and dining room. Only the separation between the daytime and sleeping areas is clearly defined. “We wanted a space where you could cook, work, and hang out with friends,” she says. “Something that feels very dynamic even if it is small, with a number of different functions all concentrated there.”

One of the apartment’s pre-renovation pluses is that all of the windows open onto balconies. Thus, each room had the potential to harness an open quality. The redesign sought for light to reach every corner of the home, filling the apartment with light and “creating a feeling of spaciousness,” adds Bermúdez.

In the living room, the armchair is by Be Water Home and the Klein blue pillow is by Gancedo. Styling by Cristina Rodriguez Goitia.