Urban Beach Home

Though small in size, this cozy little renovated apartment for two in Barcelona’s beachside neighborhood of La Barceloneta has a bright and breezy feel.

Brick walls, natural oak wood floors, patterned Neoceramica tiles, powder-blue walls and doors, and a little greenery give this Urban Beach Home a casual, youthful, and relaxing vibe.

Designed by Barcelona-based studio Egue y Seta, the 431-square-foot unit was maximized with a new layout.

The walls of the existing kitchen, hallway, bedroom, and bathroom were demolished, and the interior was divided into three visually-connected spaces.

In the dining section of the combined space, a Void table by PIKNIK is flanked by a linear kitchen by Danish brand Kvik on one side. Across from the kitchen is a snug lounge area with a Maison du Monde two-seater sofa and coffee table, rug, and drawing of David Bowie. Next to the dining and lounge are two large balconies that bring in plenty of natural light.

Separating the kitchen from the en suite bedroom is a storage and shelving system framed by an iron joinery glass partition that's topped with plants.

The kitchen- and dining-facing side of the system has cabinets and shelves for glasses, dinnerware, potted plants, books, and an espresso machine, while the bedroom-facing side was turned into a deep wardrobe with white lacquered sliding doors that diffuse and increase the sunlight entering through the bedroom windows.

The clean and modern en suite bathroom hosts a frameless mirror and white subway tiles.

Recessed and track lighting above the original exposed brick walls in the living area reveal the texture of the old bricks, while the ceiling retains its original Catalan vault design.

Generous light and airflow, nautical colors, quirky pendant lamps, and refreshing greenery come together to create a home that reminds us that Barcelona is not just an exciting city, but also a fun and sunny beach destination.