Location | Ampelokipoi, Athens | Renovation of existing flat

Project completed 2023

Architectural Study | Market Research | Construction | Turn-key

Project Overview | A Logical Reset

The Athens apartment in Ampelokipi presented a set of deeply rooted design issues: a poorly positioned kitchen, undersized bathroom, and a balcony accessible only through the bedroom, all resulting in awkward circulation and reduced comfort.

Our mission was to reclaim the spatial logic of the apartment and reshape it to reflect a contemporary, open, and human-centered living standard. We did so by flipping the entire layout, improving daylight access, and integrating clever storage wherever possible, turning every square meter into a functional opportunity.

Our Role | Rethink, Redesign, Reconnect

sugar like salt was responsible for:

• Reconfiguring the apartment layout to correct flow and hierarchy

• Switching the living and bedroom locations to allow communal access to the balcony

• Enlarging and repositioning the bathroom to match the apartment’s actual needs

• Creating a well-sized open kitchen, visually expanded by careful wall placement

• Integrating storage in walls and entrance dividers to maximize efficiency

• Using mirrors to increase the visual depth of the apartment and reflect light into darker corners

• Detailed material selection with natural wood tones and colored veneer for warmth and contrast

• Full construction supervision and built execution

Design Philosophy | Compact Doesn’t Mean Compromised

At the core of the project was a belief that compact living doesn’t justify bad design. We treated this one-bedroom apartment like a puzzle: every piece had to fit, and every choice had to serve multiple functions, visually, practically, and emotionally.

Key strategies:

• Entrance cabinetry and wall dividers double as hidden storage and zoning elements

• Flipping the private and public zones gave the balcony back to the communal area, a simple gesture that redefined daily use

• Mirrors and artificial light were positioned to bounce brightness into areas with no natural light, such as corridors and behind cabinetry

• Veneered woodwork in light tones created visual rhythm and tactile continuity, while helping surfaces feel “lifted”

• Bathroom and kitchen resizing ensured that neither function felt like an afterthought

Technical & Visual Enhancements

• Custom joinery throughout, with integrated seating, shelving, and vertical storage

• Improved electrical layout to support ambient and task lighting where daylight could not reach

• HVAC and plumbing adjustments to support new layout

• Low-maintenance veneered finishes, warm-toned for light diffusion