Modern living in a historic apartment in Budapest

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Text by Redzman Rahmat

If you’ve ever been to Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, then you’d be familiar with its vibrant atmosphere that perfectly balances culture, architecture and modern life. It’s truly a historic city, but one that has managed to incorporate modernity without compromising its heritage and culture.

When doing up their apartment in the historical centre of Budapest, designers Margit and Geza from Margeza were keen to reflect this unique dichotomy in its interior design. The married couple also desired to inject their style and personalities into the space.

The building itself is an iconic one. It was built in 1928 and is part of Budapest’s iconic skyline along the famous Danube river. Because of this heritage, the two-storey loft apartment features pitched columns and slanted walls that are part of the home’s personality.

However, Margit and Geza had to carry out a complete renovation to make the apartment liveable. They knocked down all the walls and built new ones, while still maintaining as much of the home’s natural charm as possible.

One of the most prominent features they have conserved is the view out the windows. The apartment looks out over the cityscape, and it would have been a waste not to incorporate this into the interior design. It only made sense to Margit and Geza to emphasise this. A large glass window in the living room opens up to the breathtaking Budapest skyline, bringing a cinematic scene into the home. The design duo also built a bay seat next to this window, giving them the perfect opportunity to take in the beautiful view.

In fact, this apartment enjoys beautiful slanted windows throughout; a testament to the building’s original architecture. With gorgeous sunlight bathing the interiors, no curtains are needed at all!

The living room also features a ‘living green wall’, designed to bring nature into the apartment.  This vertical garden is just one of the many quirky details the couple introduced into the apartment. Another highlight is the Budapest-shaped rug with a red dot pinpointing the apartment’s location.

It’s a modern home in a historic city, and this is further evidenced by the owners’ choice of furniture and accessories. Margit and Geza picked out items with curves and rounded edges, effectively balancing out the apartment’s inherently sharp angles. To contrast against the white-walls-and-glass interiors, they introduced striking pops of colours.

The bedroom on the second floor is a place for the couple to recharge. It’s designed to be as minimalist and non-intrusive as possible, allowing its occupants to completely relax. Margit and Geza achieved this by concealing all the storage options here, including the wardrobe at the end of the room.

 

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