Estudio Matiz gives new life to an apartment in Madrid’s Salamanca district, transforming it into a pied-à-terre for a young couple

Developed by Estudio Matiz as a turnkey commission, the project transforms a classically laid-out apartment into a contemporary, bright, and functional living space, without losing its connection to the building’s original architecture. The dwelling originally presented a fragmented organisation, with poorly connected rooms and circulation dominated by corridors. In response, the studio proposed a complete redistribution that prioritises natural light and spatial continuity. The removal of unnecessary circulation routes makes it possible to open the social area onto the two existing balconies, integrating the living room, dining area, and kitchen into a single, flexible, and well-proportioned space.

The kitchen ceases to be an isolated room and becomes the core of everyday life. Its strategic position strengthens the relationship between the different shared areas and encourages a more open way of living, where cooking, working, or hosting unfold without rigid compartmentalisation.

The project incorporates a semi-open study, defined by bespoke sliding glass doors. This solution makes it possible to regulate privacy without renouncing visual continuity or natural light, allowing the space to adapt to different uses throughout the day. The more private areas of the home are located towards the interior, where the main bedroom and its en-suite bathroom are conceived as a quieter, more contained environment, designed for rest.

In material and chromatic terms, the apartment establishes a balance between what is original and what is new. Mouldings, proportions, and joinery engage in dialogue with a contemporary selection of colours, textiles, and furniture pieces that lend character to the interior. The palette, warm and vibrant, is supported by noble materials such as wood, marble, and carefully selected ceramic finishes, creating an atmosphere that is both welcoming and precise.

Natural light acts as the guiding thread of the project. Thanks to the new spatial organisation, light flows through the apartment and shapes the perception of each room, enhanced by discreet artificial lighting.

The result is a home that combines elegance and functionality, where the architectural tradition of the Salamanca district is reinterpreted from a contemporary perspective. An interior conceived for everyday life, marked by coherence, comfort, and a balanced relationship between space, materiality, and ways of living.

Project: OYG96.
Location: Barrio de Salamanca (Madrid)
Completed: 2023.
Surface area: 113 m².
Interior design: Estudio Matiz.
Photography: Patricia Gallego.
Styling: Estudio Matiz.
Source: Estudio Matiz

Estudio Matiz

Based in Madrid, Estudio Matiz develops its practice through a careful attention to place, to built memory, and to the people who inhabit spaces. Their work is grounded in the conviction that each project is an opportunity to fine-tune, with precision and sensitivity, the relationship between architecture, materiality, and everyday use.

The studio approaches interior design as a holistic process, in which layout, material selection, light, and decorative details are all part of a single design decision. Specialised in turnkey projects, they accompany clients from the earliest phases of analysis through to final execution, understanding design as an ongoing dialogue rather than a formal imposition.

In their interventions, classical references—proportions, mouldings, joinery—coexist with a contemporary reading of space, supported by noble materials, restrained colour palettes, and a constant attention to functionality. Craftsmanship, respect for existing structures, and active listening define a working method that seeks durable, coherent, and genuinely habitable solutions.

Beyond styles, Estudio Matiz creates spaces designed to be lived in: interiors that do not renounce character, yet always place daily experience at the heart of the project.

The studio is led by César Rodríguez, creative director, and Cristina Morales, interior designer. Alongside them, a multidisciplinary team of architects, interior designers, and project management professionals supports each commission from initial analysis to final realisation. This structure allows Estudio Matiz to approach projects in an integral manner, combining creative vision, technical rigour, and a constant attention to detail and to the needs of those who inhabit the spaces.

Project by Estudio Matiz