An apartment in central Madrid transformed by two architects
Gude Chico Arquitectura has renovated an apartment in central Madrid with furniture sourced from El Rastro and a sandy color palette
This apartment in central Madrid belongs to a young family making their first real estate investment. The project was designed by Gude Chico Arquitectura, a studio founded in 2022 by Patricia Gude and Begoña Chico. Both worked in Lisbon, Zurich, and London before returning to Madrid. They have a very precise way of thinking about space and materials. For this project, the requirements were clear: to create the first home for this young couple expecting their first child, and to make it a warm place with real personality.
The first structural decision is worth highlighting, as the architects did not tear everything down. At a time when even the smallest renovation ends up as an open-plan layout, they chose to preserve distinct rooms. Living room, dining room, office, bedroom, each space has its own identity. The transitions are smooth, and the rooms remain separate.
Its dining room is probably the most successful room. Its large solid beech table, designed by the studio, is surrounded by mismatched chairs from various eras: tubular steel models inspired by Mies van der Rohe on one side, and more organic dark wood chairs on the other. A rattan chair on a chrome frame completes this eclectic yet perfectly balanced ensemble. The mix works very well and brings the room to life.
At the back, a tall white bookshelf runs the full height of the wall. It holds architecture books, vintage finds, and framed black-and-white photos. And in the left corner, the antique dark-wood cabinet, salvaged from Galeries Piquer at the Rastro, is elevated on custom wrought-iron legs to give it a new lease on life. The Forakami pendant lights made of Japanese paper are now design classics, whose softness pairs well with the rest of the decor.
The atmosphere in the living room is one of total serenity. It is furnished with a generous ivory sofa, black coffee tables with copper-colored accents, and two armchairs featuring floral patterns and green stripes on small brass casters. These armchairs add just the right touch of the unexpected to elevate this room above the ordinary.
The botanical pattern, very much in the spirit of William Morris, contrasts with the sand and gray palette of the rest of the living room. The bench under the window is made of woven rattan and runs along the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the trees. It is one of the most charming features of the apartment. Sitting there, with the greenery just beyond the glass, in the heart of Madrid, is a privilege.
In the living room entryway, a bar cabinet is built into the partition. With its polished concrete back, dark metal shelves, and white corals arranged like sculptures, it’s a detail that stands out, but for all the right reasons. With its mirrored back, it reflects the dining room bookshelf and enhances the sense of space. It’s as if a window had been installed there.
The office next to the living room is a multi-functional space, it can also serve as a more intimate second dining room. It features beige wallpaper on all the walls and is furnished with an antique farmhouse table found at a French antique dealer. Red lacquered Carugati chairs with rope seats add a pop of color to this neutral space. The brushed metal industrial pendant light above the table is perfect for illuminating the dining area. It’s a cozy room, with a bold choice of chairs in an apartment that’s otherwise so soft in color.
The master bedroom is understated, just like the rest of the apartment. With its headboard upholstered in a fabric featuring small light gray geometric patterns, its Santa & Cole wall sconces with white cylindrical shades, and its solid oak nightstand, it’s a room designed for rest.
Gude Chico Arquitectura has created an apartment here that stands apart from the rest. No large open spaces, no ubiquitous furniture. Instead, we find vintage pieces with a history, complemented by custom-designed elements. The palette of materials, light wood, steel, rattan, linen, and coral, is consistent throughout the apartment.
Madrid doesn’t have the same interior design reputation as Barcelona. Yet the Spanish capital is home to a serious interior design scene, far removed from Mediterranean clichés. It has its antique dealers, its markets, the legendary El Rastro foremost among them, and a new generation of architecture studios that look as much to Paris or Amsterdam as they do to Spain. Gude Chico is part of this scene, and the work of these professionals on this apartment in central Madrid is proof of it.
The space remains partitioned
The first structural decision is worth highlighting, as the architects did not tear everything down. At a time when even the smallest renovation ends up as an open-plan layout, they chose to preserve distinct rooms. Living room, dining room, office, bedroom, each space has its own identity. The transitions are smooth, and the rooms remain separate.
The dining room strikes the right balance between vintage and design
Its dining room is probably the most successful room. Its large solid beech table, designed by the studio, is surrounded by mismatched chairs from various eras: tubular steel models inspired by Mies van der Rohe on one side, and more organic dark wood chairs on the other. A rattan chair on a chrome frame completes this eclectic yet perfectly balanced ensemble. The mix works very well and brings the room to life.
At the back, a tall white bookshelf runs the full height of the wall. It holds architecture books, vintage finds, and framed black-and-white photos. And in the left corner, the antique dark-wood cabinet, salvaged from Galeries Piquer at the Rastro, is elevated on custom wrought-iron legs to give it a new lease on life. The Forakami pendant lights made of Japanese paper are now design classics, whose softness pairs well with the rest of the decor.
A living room where calm reigns
The atmosphere in the living room is one of total serenity. It is furnished with a generous ivory sofa, black coffee tables with copper-colored accents, and two armchairs featuring floral patterns and green stripes on small brass casters. These armchairs add just the right touch of the unexpected to elevate this room above the ordinary.
The botanical pattern, very much in the spirit of William Morris, contrasts with the sand and gray palette of the rest of the living room. The bench under the window is made of woven rattan and runs along the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the trees. It is one of the most charming features of the apartment. Sitting there, with the greenery just beyond the glass, in the heart of Madrid, is a privilege.
The built-in bar, a well-thought-out detail
In the living room entryway, a bar cabinet is built into the partition. With its polished concrete back, dark metal shelves, and white corals arranged like sculptures, it’s a detail that stands out, but for all the right reasons. With its mirrored back, it reflects the dining room bookshelf and enhances the sense of space. It’s as if a window had been installed there.
The dual-purpose office
The office next to the living room is a multi-functional space, it can also serve as a more intimate second dining room. It features beige wallpaper on all the walls and is furnished with an antique farmhouse table found at a French antique dealer. Red lacquered Carugati chairs with rope seats add a pop of color to this neutral space. The brushed metal industrial pendant light above the table is perfect for illuminating the dining area. It’s a cozy room, with a bold choice of chairs in an apartment that’s otherwise so soft in color.
The bedroom in understated tones
The master bedroom is understated, just like the rest of the apartment. With its headboard upholstered in a fabric featuring small light gray geometric patterns, its Santa & Cole wall sconces with white cylindrical shades, and its solid oak nightstand, it’s a room designed for rest.
What really stands out about this apartment in central Madrid
Gude Chico Arquitectura has created an apartment here that stands apart from the rest. No large open spaces, no ubiquitous furniture. Instead, we find vintage pieces with a history, complemented by custom-designed elements. The palette of materials, light wood, steel, rattan, linen, and coral, is consistent throughout the apartment.
Madrid, a dynamic city when it comes to interior design
Madrid doesn’t have the same interior design reputation as Barcelona. Yet the Spanish capital is home to a serious interior design scene, far removed from Mediterranean clichés. It has its antique dealers, its markets, the legendary El Rastro foremost among them, and a new generation of architecture studios that look as much to Paris or Amsterdam as they do to Spain. Gude Chico is part of this scene, and the work of these professionals on this apartment in central Madrid is proof of it.
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