Villa “Anna” is the work of an excellent Warsaw architect of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Jan Heurich Jr. In line with the European trends of the construction period (1904), both the structure and the original interiors were designed in the spirit of Viennese Secession. This movement differs from Parisian Art Nouveau in its emphasis on geometry rather than flowing organic lines. This can be seen in numerous arches and ellipses in the architectural decor, linear ornaments, and windows shaped like ovals, horseshoes, or fans. The proposed new arrangement of the rooms, which have been significantly transformed over the long history of this valuable monument, refers to Jan Heurich’s original concept but also takes into account the results of work started a few years ago. By creating the presented designs, we aimed to harmoniously blend echoes of the past with the works of modern design from the world’s best brands, respectfully breathing new life into the historic walls.
HALL
In the hall, a mosaic made of “gorseciki” has been laid so far. This ceramic mosaic is characteristic of interwar architecture. Following this theme, we propose using furniture and accessories that reference other phases of modernism. All these elements are connected by the motif of a circle, which we drew from the design of exceptionally decorative doors. The lantern inspired by Far Eastern art is a design from the time of the construction of Villa “Anna.” This fixture is still produced today in the exclusive Fortuny workshop in Venice. By incorporating the motif of clouds transferred onto wallpaper from an old print, we would like to emphasize the character of the interior, which opens up to the surrounding nature.
LIVING ROOM
In the living room, we have referred to the heritage of the 19th century. Here, we have installed parquet floors in a chessboard pattern with a wide border to resemble carpets, and the walls have been painted in a terracotta color. We have also incorporated panels with Viennese wickerwork on the ceiling, reminiscent of the Secessionist style. To unify these elements, we suggest drawing inspiration from the paintings of the era when the villa was built. In our project, we have included a symbolist composition by Jacek Malczewski, from which we derived the colors for upholstered furniture. Intense color accents also balance the strong shade of the walls. Above all, all the furniture features rounded shapes, which, in our opinion, harmonize with the Secessionist aesthetic. The highest quality materials, such as wood, stone, leather, wool, and silk fabrics, reference the class of the house.
DINING ROOM
Similar to the living room, the spacious dining room has so far been adorned with a stylized carpet made of palace parquet. When creating the furniture proposal, we aimed to strike a balance between representativeness and relaxed comfort. The sideboard and suspended bar, seemingly floating in the air, reference interwar avant-garde design. On the other hand, the table with a quartzite tabletop, surrounded by leather-upholstered chairs with sculptural forms, features a very modern design. We propose emphasizing the importance of this furniture piece with an artistic light installation. Countless small lampshades imitate blossoming buds. The shapes of the chairs and stools on the veranda also draw inspiration from flowers. The proposed floor lamp with a cluster of spherical shades clearly draws from the heritage of Viennese Secession.
BEDROOM
The high upholstered headboard, reminiscent of old screens, distinguishes the wide bed in the bedroom and creates an exceptionally cozy and intimate atmosphere in the sleeping area. Despite its modern simplicity, it enhances the class of the villa’s historical interior. The chest of drawers with fronts decorated with rattan wickerwork refers to Viennese classicism from over a hundred years ago. The echoes of Secessionist avant-garde are present in the simple yet studied forms of the semicircular wooden seat integrated with a side table. As jewelry for the interior, we envision small auxiliary furniture pieces such as a round table or a pedestal made from a block of cobalt-white Blu Sodalite marble.
The ArtUp Interiors studio has prepared the furniture, lighting, and wall coverings design.
The fixed elements of carpentry fittings, bathrooms, and flooring were designed by Valerie Chomard