Houzz Tour: Colorful Spanish Apartment for Tapas and Relaxing
An architect found on Houzz uses bold color and small-space solutions to create a joyful pied-à-terre for a retiree
Spanish architect Ganzalo Prado approaches residential architecture in a fun and provocative way, with a playful interpretation of domestic color, expertly using color with clear intention. He is also sure to listen to the needs of the client while meticulously leading the process. Houzz Spain has published several of his renovations, his own home included.
Dany Fontaine, the retired owner of this colorful 431-square-foot apartment in Madrid, found Pardo’s professional profile on Houzz and sent him a message through the platform.
Dany Fontaine, the retired owner of this colorful 431-square-foot apartment in Madrid, found Pardo’s professional profile on Houzz and sent him a message through the platform.
With a great kitchen and a blue cabinet that wraps around the small space, this pied-à-terre is completely tailored to her needs. It’s a place to enjoy life, tapas with her friends and the company of her children, but also time to herself. An apartment à la Gonzalo Pardo.
Color was the key to Pardo’s approach to this project. Doesn’t the intense blue and the other bold colors in this photo convey that this is the urban refuge of an active and cosmopolitan woman who is passionate about tango and the ambiance of Madrid?
“You can’t get enough of color,” Pardo says. “It’s a low-budget resource which brings very good results. In this case, the owner was very clear that the color she wanted was [RAL 5005 blue].”
“You can’t get enough of color,” Pardo says. “It’s a low-budget resource which brings very good results. In this case, the owner was very clear that the color she wanted was [RAL 5005 blue].”
“In Spain, we are boring in our use of color — especially us architects,” says Pardo, pointing out that when they opt for a color in a studio project, they take the space into account. “A light color in a dark interior elevates the space. Sometimes, color is also an act of provocation,” he says, citing Carlos Cruz-Diez, Olafur Eliasson, Josef Albers and Luis Barragán as some of his artistic references.
RAL 5005 — a blue like the one on Spanish traffic signs — is like a magnet for the eye and transforms the cabinetry into an attractive feature. However, above all it is about functional design. Pardo is of the opinion that everything should have its place and that, “if you manage this, the home will be a success.”
See more colorful kitchens
See more colorful kitchens
“The blue box is the storage system of the house, both its heart and its soul,” he says. It draws attention but is also full of surprises. The biggest one is that it hides the home’s bathroom, which the owner calls a stunning space. It also provides generous storage; it is where kitchen appliances and a large closet are hidden.
The surprises don’t end there, however. The mirror just to the right of the entrance is the door to the bedroom. There is also another large mirror in the kitchen. “The mirrors in Dany’s house are doors to other spaces and with them, we sought to double the light, the amount of space and to create drama.”
The surprises don’t end there, however. The mirror just to the right of the entrance is the door to the bedroom. There is also another large mirror in the kitchen. “The mirrors in Dany’s house are doors to other spaces and with them, we sought to double the light, the amount of space and to create drama.”
It is also worth noting the lighting setup, with lamps such as the TMC by Miguel Milá for Santa and Cole, the classic PH5 pendant by Louis Poulsen in the living room and the red sconces by Charlotte Perriand, produced by Nemo. The storage unit is underscored with LED lighting, “close to it, but without touching it,” to define and highlight its size.
We also said earlier in the article that Pardo listens to the client and leads the project meticulously. “Dany is a born negotiator. To convince her of each solution we had to make many drawings and invest a lot of time talking to her. She has also listened to our advice and was on board with every choice we made,” he said.
“The bathroom window, for example, was a solution that she really liked. We installed smart film, which is opaque when on and transparent when off.”
The blue box in the center of the apartment is the centerpiece of the floor plan.
“It is more difficult to make a small house than a big one,” Pardo says. We are now designing one that is 500 square meters and there are many concepts used in this flat that also work in larger spaces.”
“It is more difficult to make a small house than a big one,” Pardo says. We are now designing one that is 500 square meters and there are many concepts used in this flat that also work in larger spaces.”
Pardo acknowledges his obsession with spatial sequences and color. He breaks down his understanding of the domestic space, and his priorities when executing a project, into four basic points: “The kitchen as the center of the home, the de-hierarchization of spaces, the atomized bathroom and the nameless rooms — that is, spaces that are capable of serving multiple purposes and which rise to the requirements of circumstance.”
At a time when we seem to have forgotten about the joy of living and that our homes should be a place for relaxation, Pardo’s designs are only for those who want to squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of their home.
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At a time when we seem to have forgotten about the joy of living and that our homes should be a place for relaxation, Pardo’s designs are only for those who want to squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of their home.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about homes around the world
Find design and remodeling professionals near you
Shop for home products
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Apartment at a Glance
Who lives here: Dany Fontaine, who headed the French division of an international company but is now retired
Size: 431 square feet (40 square meters)
Location: Callao, Madrid
Architect: Gon Architects
The first time Fontaine and Pardo met, she told him that she likes to get together with her two adult children (“a girl and a guy,” she clarifies) and that she wanted “a space where she could host them.” Fontaine also wanted a small kitchen, so that she would be able to have her friends over for tapas. In impeccable Spanish, the French owner told us that she likes to cook “food with lots of flavor and lots of spices.”
“I came across Gonzalo’s Houzz profile by searching for ‘architects in Madrid’ on Google,” Fontaine says. What she likes most about the platform? “Seeing so many inspirational photos.”
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