Home tour | A Berlin apartment filled with contrasts

What I love most about this 19th-century Berlin apartment, decorated by interior designer Annabell Kutucu and creative director Michael Schickinger (the duo behind the much-blogged-about San Giorgio Hotel on Mykonos), are the many contrasts it contains.

Firstly, there’s a striking constrast between the wall colours used in the various rooms. Some, like the lounge and kitchen, are painted pristine white and flooded with natural light; others – the dining room, office and bedroom – are calming cocoons decorated in darker, more muted shades such as petrol grey and olive green. The result is different ambiances to suit different moods and different times of the day.

And then there are the contrasting textures – rough with smooth, matt with shiny, coarse with fine. I particularly like the way the ornate plaster ceilings and parquet floors have been smartly restored in some rooms but left distressed in others, as if to showcase different layers of the apartment’s past.

The furniture and accessories also form an eclectic mix. There are old wooden stools, salvaged dining tables and chairs with rich patinas, plus a sprinkling of sleeker pieces such as the boxy leather sofa and iconic Arc floor lamp. Clean-lined shelving units provide an elegant way of displaying ceramics, books and travel finds, while over in the kitchen, vintage signs, untreated crates and the original tiled stove sit side by side with contemporary white units.

Throughout, there are lots of natural materials to add warmth to the high-ceilinged space – woven cushions, sheer linen blinds, chunky storage baskets. But my favourite piece of all is the wonderful rattan lampshade hanging above the table. It’s a real focal point, and I should imagine it casts beautiful shadows around the room when the bulb is illuminated.

The overall effect is both minimal and bohemian – a very tricky balance to achieve, but one which looks stunning when done properly.

Photography by Claus Brechenmacher for Annabell Kutucu

P.S. If you like this apartment, you’ll love this beautiful family home in my own city of Bristol. It has a similar look and feel, and I reckon it’s one of the most eye-catching places I’ve covered to date.