Reconstruction of a First Republic Apartment Under the Guidance of Darcy S. Vašíčková

This month we’re bringing you an interview with a very talented interior designer, Darcy Vašíčková, who has taken a reconstruction project under her wing that has presented her with a number of challenges. Darcy definitely doesn’t shy away from such challenges, though. In fact, she’s quite eager to accept them. How is this new project working out, and where has she found uses for TechniStone® engineered stone in the apartment?

Love for the Atmosphere of Czechoslovakia’s First Republic and English Design

The owner of an apartment in Prague’s Bubeneč neighborhood had very specific ideas about preserving the original interior of her First Republic apartment, built in the flourishing interwar years of the 1920s and 1930s in Czechoslovakia. She insisted as well on a place for her extensive collection of art and antiques. The original windows in the 90-square-meter apartment were refurbished and the interior doors were replaced with faithful replicas of the ones that graced it during the First Republic.

The floors are made of solid oak parquet and the bathroom features one of Darcy’s trademarks — tiles with a geometric pattern that perfectly complement the entire interior. The inspiration for the tiling came from a semicircular window in the apartment’s pantry, which was opened up and became the apartment’s study. At the same time, the homeowner shows her fondness for English design in the wide baseboards along the walls and round brass knobs on the doors, instead of the usual handles.

Design: House of Darcy. Installation: Artenlux s.r.o. Photography: Tomáš Dittrich. Staging: Jinné Stagers.

A Historic Piano Holds Pride of Place

As we mentioned above, the owner wanted to incorporate her collection of artworks and other prized objects into the interior, one of which was a historic piano. The piano found a place surrounded by a large dark-blue bookcase, which had to be soundproofed for the comfort of the neighbors. And why the bold color scheme? The answer lies in its contrast with the oldest piece of art in the homeowner’s collection, which hangs above the kitchen countertop in its original ornate frame.

TechniStone® engineered stone in the Noble Carrara decor. Design: House of Darcy. Installation: Artenlux s.r.o. Photography: Tomáš Dittrich. Staging: Jinné Stagers.

High Ceilings and an Airy Kitchen

The owner was also very clear about the kitchen. “The main requirement in the kitchen was to work with the high ceilings and not overwhelm the space by hanging cupboards on the walls.” It was also important to fit in an extra worktop by the oven for baking and to provide space in the kitchen for works of art. The kitchen countertop was made with engineered stone from Technistone, in a bold combination along with the dark blue in the kitchen. Darcy likes a matte look for surfaces, so that’s one reason why the choice fell to TechniStone®. What were the other reasons? “I like that the stone can be easily shaped — for example, by rounding it or creating openings in it. I appreciate its reliability in service and I like that even though it’s not real marble, it contains real stone that enhances its practical properties.”

What do you think? Is Darcy’s reconstruction of this apartment in a combination of English and First Republic styles a success?