Rocco Bibbiani transforms this home in Barcelona’s Gràcia neighbourhood into a dynamic, joyful and comfortable living space

Living in Barcelona’s Gràcia neighbourhood is a privilege—especially for those who appreciate the calm of its streets and squares, where neighbours still greet one another. This distinctive character has deep roots, dating back to when Gràcia was an independent town until 1897. It is a neighbourhood rich in art, culture and design, right in the heart of the city.

Here, a newly built apartment completed in 2023 was asking for a second chance. Not due to technical shortcomings, but because of a lack of affinity: the home did not reflect the way its owners—a young couple with a small child—lived, nor the everyday energy their spaces demanded. The intervention by NOT – A Studio, led by interior designer Rocco Bibbiani, has transformed this neutral starting point into a home where functionality coexists with chromatic play in every space and every corner. The spatial decisions taken by the designer have had a decisive impact on how the home is used.

The comprehensive renovation of this 86 m² apartment focuses from the outset on the daytime areas. The new layout seeks to improve circulation, visually expand the space and make the most of natural light. It is about reading what already exists and correcting it with precision. From there, small improvements throughout the rest of the home bring coherence to the whole, generating a perceptible continuity between rooms.

At the heart of the project is a bespoke element that organises and activates the home: a central, double-height, semi-circular and multifunctional bar, designed by the interior designer and crafted in Cubro wood and RMC terrazzo. This feature not only expands the kitchen but becomes a place for work, play and gathering. Its curved geometry establishes direct relationships with other elements in the project and softens the transition between uses within the generous social space—living room, kitchen and dining area—avoiding unnecessary compartmentalisation.

This formal logic continues in the customised flooring by Mosaic Factory, laid in organic patterns, and in a series of curved, seventies-inspired niches that bring visual continuity and a sense of domestic calm. One of them conceals the television through a mobile system that reveals it only when needed. The solution is functional, but it also reflects an understanding of the home as a space capable of transforming itself without losing order.

The interior designer uses colour as a design tool. The palette is built around primary tones—yellow and blue as a base—accompanied by green, orange and red accents that introduce rhythm and character. Natural materials balance this chromatic intensity, preventing the overall composition from becoming excessive. The result is a lively yet controlled atmosphere, where each element appears to have found its rightful place.

In the private areas, the intervention is more restrained. Small adjustments to the partitions improve comfort and spatial efficiency without unnecessarily altering the original structure. Bespoke furniture is integrated to optimise storage and maintain visual clarity. In the bathrooms and the main suite, the use of microcement flooring reinforces continuity and dialogues with the repetitive geometry of the wall tiles, bringing the project to a close with a coherent reading from beginning to end.

Neptú is a complete transformation that turns a once characterless apartment into a dynamic, joyful and comfortable home, where design accompanies everyday life in spaces that bring a vibrant atmosphere to this singular neighbourhood of Barcelona.levisor mediante un sistema móvil que solo lo hace visible cuando es necesario. La solución es funcional, pero también revela una manera de entender la casa como un espacio capaz de transformarse sin perder orden.

El interiorista utiliza el color como una herramienta proyectual. La paleta se construye a partir de tonos primarios —amarillo y azul como base— acompañados por acentos verdes, naranjas y rojos que introducen ritmo y carácter. Los materiales naturales equilibran esta intensidad cromática y evitan que el conjunto se vuelva excesivo. El resultado es una atmósfera viva, pero controlada, donde cada elemento parece haber encontrado su lugar.

En los espacios privados, la intervención es más contenida. Pequeños ajustes en los tabiques mejoran el confort y la eficiencia espacial sin alterar innecesariamente la estructura original. El mobiliario a medida se integra para optimizar el almacenamiento y mantener la claridad visual. En baños y suite, el uso de microcemento en el suelo refuerza la continuidad y dialoga con la geometría repetitiva de los azulejos de pared, cerrando el proyecto con una lectura coherente de principio a fin.

Neptú es una transformación total que convierte una vivienda que carecía de carácter en un hogar dinámico, alegre y confortable, donde el diseño acompaña la vida cotidiana en espacios que aportan una afmósfera vibrante en este barrio singular de Barcelona.

Project: Neptú.
Location: Barrio de Gracia (Barcelona).
Area: 86 m².
Completed: 2024.
Author: Rocco Bibbiani. NOT – A Studio
Photography: Germán Saiz.
Source: Rocco Bibbiani

Rocco Bibiani

Founded in Barcelona in 2020, NOT – A Studio is the personal project of Rocco Bibbiani, an interior designer trained in Florence, with a previous career in corporate marketing and brand development. That background now informs a way of designing that is especially attentive to process, to the real use of spaces, and to the relationship between design, identity and communication. From the studio, Bibbiani approaches interior design as a field of constant experimentation, where each project is understood as an opportunity to learn, refine and create homes that respond directly to those who inhabit them.

Project by Rocco Bibbiani