Studio Tunicate designed Apartment in a Room as a 20 m² unit for short-term rentals, with a brief that required simplicity, durability and strict control over cost. The project needed to respect the historic character of the space and create a calm interior beneath its vaulted ceiling. Since the studio had also worked on the building renovation, it understood the apartment’s wider context from the start.
INTERIOR DESIGN
The renovation of the common areas used premium materials, but the apartment budget did not allow the studio to continue that level of finish throughout the unit. Instead, Studio Tunicate chose a deliberate high low approach. The common areas feature patinated brass sheets, so the studio selected laminated boards with a subtle metallic effect in a champagne tone for the apartment. The material kept costs under control while creating a clear connection to the building’s richer finishes.
The champagne boards sit beside the existing oak chevron parquet flooring and the bathroom’s natural travertine cladding. This approach gives the stronger materials space to define the atmosphere, while the more affordable surfaces support them quietly. The interior avoids visual excess and lets texture, proportion and light shape the experience.
The floor area created the main challenge. Within 18.3 m², the apartment needed to contain an entrance wardrobe, a fully equipped kitchen with fridge, oven and dishwasher, a dining area, a double bed, a wardrobe and a TV wall. The bathroom, already planned as part of the development project, takes up 2.5 m² and includes a toilet, shower and washbasin. The vault also affected the bathroom layout and limited the available volume.
Studio Tunicate solved the plan by combining functions and shaping every furniture block with precision. The raised headboard gives the double bed a strong visual role and forms the central element of the apartment. It also hides a wardrobe for two guests, with space for luggage, hanging rails and small drawers. The entrance wardrobe handles coats and shoes, keeping the sleeping area free from clutter.
The studio linked more storage to the TV wall. This element hides additional compartments and gives the room a calmer appearance. The vaulted ceiling created another constraint, as the arch drops low where it meets the vertical walls. Standard tall furniture could not fit against the perimeter. Studio Tunicate shaped the upper parts of the furniture to follow the vault, allowing the design to use every available centimeter while keeping the lines balanced.
The furniture also responds to the outlets of the heat recovery ventilation unit. This system keeps the climate stable and removes moisture from the compact interior. The studio integrated the technical elements into the built in furniture, protecting usable space and maintaining the apartment’s quiet character.
Studio: Tunicate
Author: Jan Roučka
Design team: Anna Linhartová, Katarína Varsová
Project location: Valdštejnské náměstí 522/7, Prague, Czech Republic
Project year: 2025
Completion year: 2025
Usable floor area: 20,8 m²
Photographer: BoysPlayNice
Collaborators and suppliers
Custom joinery, supply of lighting, standard elements and accessories: LKT Bohemia
Technical construction supervision: Zdeněk Slavíček
Bathroom mist film: SPYRON
Curtains and blinds: Styltex
Electrical fittings supplier: Monobrand
