Vitalij Zinchencko Penthouse

This project begins not with interior design but with structural engineering. To create a duplex penthouse on ul. Lokietka in Bydgoszcz, the reinforced concrete floor slab separating two existing apartments had to be cut through and removed. The building is the tallest in its immediate neighbourhood, a modern six-to-seven storey block with panoramic views across surrounding rooftops. Two separate apartments needed to become one before any interior work could begin. Roof terraces at different levels, with panoramic city views, became a defining feature of the resulting penthouse.

The construction photographs document the structural transformation in sequence. The ribbed concrete slab was cut open with power tools. The ULMA VM20U formwork system (EN 13377 certified) went in with timber beams and steel acrow props to support the building during live modification. New metal stud partition walls went up, suspended ceiling grids were fitted for the LED lighting scheme, and the steel staircase was lowered into position between levels. The six-week design delivery, from site survey to complete design package on 27 April 2022, ran in parallel with these structural works.

The design concept was established through three moodboard directions. Direction one, Warm Contemporary, proposed walnut and rosewood slat walls, oak-fronted kitchen cabinetry, Calacatta marble surfaces, and brass globe fixtures. Direction two, Cool Contemporary, explored dark charcoal kitchen cabinetry and black marble surfaces, and was rejected. Direction three (Green and Grey Classic-Modern Fusion) introduced forest green velvet dining chairs, green subway tiles, brass fixtures, and grey shaker-style cabinets. The client chose a hybrid of directions one and three: the warm wood palette of the first combined with the forest green textile accent of the third. This deliberate synthesis defines the duplex's material identity.

The master bedroom's denim blue upholstery was a deliberate departure not present in any of the three moodboards, a decision that creates a clear psychological break between the social levels and the private sleeping zone. Light-toned slat panels form the headboard wall, flanked by paired gold ring sconces with opal glass globes. Dark stone runs as an accent band at nightstand height. A walnut floating console with full-height floor mirror and denim blue velvet ottoman compose the vanity area. Floor-to-ceiling matte cream sliding wardrobes complete the suite.

The main bathroom is the design's boldest moment. Dark emperador stone lines the walls and countertop, contrasted against warm beige terrazzo on the bathtub surround and floor. A walnut slat panel behind the vanity carries the apartment's signature motif into this spa-grade space, framing a round backlit mirror with warm LED halo and triple staggered globe pendant lights at different heights. A vertical illuminated walnut shelving niche beside the toilet, five shelves with individual recessed spotlights, is a characteristic detail that turns function into architecture.

The utility bathroom doubles as the apartment's laundry facility. Penny-round mosaic tiles, a dark bronze fixture palette distinct from the main bathroom's black, and zebrawood veneer cabinet doors matching the home office desk introduce material variety without losing coherence. A reeded wood vanity front with vessel basin and warm LED under-glow carries the floating effect established elsewhere.

The open-plan living, dining, and kitchen volume is where the hybrid moodboard direction reads most clearly. Forest green velvet arrives through dining chairs, sofa cushions, and floor-to-ceiling curtains that transform the atmosphere when drawn. The walnut slat TV wall, with floating bookshelves, integrated LED cove lighting, and a grey sofa at its base, anchors the living zone. Vertical metal rods form a staircase divider that echoes the balustrade language. A round oak dining table seats six beneath a black multi-arm globe chandelier.

The kitchen follows an L-shaped layout with oak veneer upper cabinets, matte sage lower cabinets, and a full-height Calacatta marble backsplash. A breakfast bar along the window wall with bamboo Venetian blinds seats two on minimalist grey fabric stools. LED strips run beneath both upper and lower cabinets and at the toe kick. The appliance wall integrates an American-style side-by-side fridge with water dispenser, a built-in oven, and a flush-mount induction cooktop within the tall cabinetry unit.

The hallway sets the tone upon entry with a dramatic floor-to-ceiling abstract mural wallpaper in monochromatic grey and white textures. A white loveseat sits against this backdrop beside an hourglass pedestal side table and a silver modern figurine, artistic accents that signal the apartment's character before any living space is reached.

The home office on the upper level features a zebrawood desk surface with dramatic figured grain, distinct from the walnut used elsewhere, set into a full-height walnut slat wall with LED cove lighting above. A dark grey microcement-finish wardrobe flanks the desk. Charcoal Venetian blinds filter the panoramic city views that come with the penthouse position.

The children's programme demonstrates the design's full range. A custom ship-shaped loft bed with porthole detail sits against an underwater ocean adventure mural with whales, dolphins, and fish swimming across the wall in watercolour illustration. Dusty blue walls, a white canvas teepee with fairy string lights, a wooden rocking elephant, and a petal-shaped pendant light compose a room of pure imagination within the same duplex that holds the moody emperador bathroom and the mature walnut-and-marble palette. The dark espresso hardwood flooring, continuous even here, is the only material thread tying this room back to the adult world beyond the door.