Psyhiko Apartment | Athens
A living space that evolved over time.
Phase One: New floor plan
For this charming apartment in Psychiko, I was asked to redesign the living room while maintaining the existing floor plan as much as possible.
The original layout featured a separate entrance hall and a kitchen connected through a hallway that led to the private quarters. The challenge was to create a more open, functional space while preserving the apartment’s unique character.
The transformation involved several key interventions:
_The door from the private quarters was closed off to improve the kitchen’s configuration
_The entrance hall walls were removed to create an open-plan living space
_The kitchen was connected directly to the living room area
The most distinctive feature of the renovation was the introduction of the three sliding plywood doors. These doors serve a dual purpose: they allow the kitchen to be concealed when desired while also adding warmth to the otherwise minimal white kitchen aesthetic.
Phase Two: The Bookshelf System
Several years after the initial renovation, the clients requested a bookshelf for the wall adjacent to the entry. The proximity of the private sector door to this wall presented both a constraint and an opportunity. I developed a modular system consisting of three interconnected bookshelf units, each progressively larger than the previous one. This graduated design accommodates books of varying sizes with the largest section positioned next to the door. Crafted from plywood and grey-blue laminate, the bookshelf introduces a subtle pop of color to the space while providing practical storage for the owners’ book collection. The door – originally white and visually prominent – was covered in the same style with stripes of plywood, integrating it into the overall design.
Phase Three: Expansion
As time passed, the clients required additional storage. I designed an extension that honors the design of the existing bookshelf system while adapting to the proportions of the remaining wall space and the evolving needs of the clients.The new adaptation presented several challenges: it needed to incorporate numerous bookshelves while also providing cupboard space, an area for putting on shoes, and hooks for hanging items. Crucially, it had to connect seamlessly with the existing construction. Developing the right proportions – both in width and depth – became essential to the design’s success.
The three central bookshelves mirror the proportions of the three plywood sliding doors from Phase One, creating a visual dialogue across the space. A corner shelf bridges the new construction to the existing bookshelf system. Beneath the three main bookshelves, plywood boxes on wheels can be pulled out, providing flexible storage solutions.
Status: completed (2018-2025)
Location: Psyhiko, Athens
Client: Private Client
Photography: Vasso Paraschi