A Small Studio Apartment Full of Color

In the southern district of Madrid lies Carabanchel, a vibrant neighborhood with iconic brick buildings and a rich history. This is the setting for a new project by Madrid-based studio OOIIO Arquitectura: a beautifully designed studio apartment bursting with color. It's a home full of personality, featuring vibrant tiles, rounded shapes, and a clever use of space.

Discover all the details of this inspiring interior design project, a prime example of how a small space (with a limited budget) can be fun, functional, and full of outstanding design.

The Project

Named Casa TUR, this interior design project aimed to transform a small apartment into a true design-forward home. Despite the constraints of budget and space, the result is an attractive, light-filled, colorful home with personality.

This studio apartment consists of just two rooms — a compact bathroom and a large multi-functional space. Yet, the well thought-through design grants fantastic functionality and stylish finishes. The living room, kitchen, and bedroom are unified within one long, light-filled room, illuminated by a large window at one end. This creates a sense of continuity between the different areas while maintaining their distinctiveness. Kitchen, dining, living, and sleeping areas are visually separated using furniture, panelling and tiles. By keeping these spaces open and undivided, natural light flows freely, reflecting off the bright, luminous finishes.

The materials

A tight budget can pose a challenge in many interior design projects. Here, the solution lies in the efficient use of materials: traditional and cost-effective tiles cover almost every surface in the home.

“Ceramics are a wonderful material, deeply rooted in Spanish culture since the Arabic tradition and even earlier. By choosing playful, expressive, and suggestive pieces and placing them in unexpected locations, we achieve surprise and originality, creating a unique space,” designers at OOIIO explain. They emphasize that using widely available materials creatively can transform a space in an original and accessible way.

Going all out with color

The standout feature of this project is undoubtedly its use of color. A vibrant palette of blues, pinks, and some yellow accents creates a colorful and personal aesthetic that balances warmth and freshness.

The tiles on the walls, kitchen backsplash, wall panels, and cabinets all reflect this color scheme, with various shades of pink and blue. White also plays a significant role, helping to spread natural light throughout the space. Thoughtful design is also evident in the small white floor tiles, which incorporate tiny pink and blue pieces, subtly mirroring the colors of the walls while maintaining the brightness of white.

The shapes

Instead of sharp, angular lines, the design embraces curves and rounded forms. Mirrors, wooden carpentry, kitchen handles, and even the tiles themselves feature curved or circular shapes, softening the interior and adding an element of fun.

One standout feature is the arch over the bed, a design element that not only enhances the stylish appeal of the apartment but also creates a sense of privacy, subtly separating the sleeping area from the rest of the space. Another highlight is the yellow circle on the wall above the kitchen, echoing the circular yellow lamp in the bedroom. Together, these accents resemble the sun surrounded by blue skies and rounded clouds, adding a whimsical touch to the design.

These thoughtful details reflect the creativity OOIIO Arquitectura has infused into this space, transforming it into a cheerful urban retreat.

OOIIO Arquitectura

OOIIO Arquitectura is a young Madrid-based studio, recognized in various publications and awards over the past decade. They describe themselves as creators of projects that evoke emotions: “We are a creative company focused on innovation in architecture through attainable solutions.” Their projects consistently use just the right resources, emphasizing simplicity, creativity, innovation, and personality.

Conclusion

Even small spaces hold the potential to become extraordinary homes, and a limited budget doesn't always have to be an unsalvageable barrier. This compact studio in Carabanchel shows how the use of color, unexpected shapes, and accessible materials can create unique, personalised spaces. It’s a design that’s sure to inspire anyone with a passion for creativity and interior design.

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