Dezeen Magazine

Basanavičiaus by AKTA Studio

Colourful accents offset grey walls in Vilnius apartment renovation by AKTA

The kitchen, dining and living room of this apartment in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius features grey-painted walls and black-metal details, which are offset by colourful cabinets and furniture.

Basanavičiaus by AKTA Studio

Lithuanian interior studio AKTA refurbished the Basanaviciaus apartment in Vilnius' medieval old town for a young couple who asked for a variety of hues to be used inside.

It features an open-plan kitchen, living and dining room with a series of colourful accents, including green cabinets in the kitchen, as well as a velvet blue sofa and textured red chair in the lounge.

Basanavičiaus by AKTA Studio

The team wanted to create a plain backdrop to offset these accents of colour, so all the walls are painted grey and curtains are beige.

Basanavičiaus by AKTA Studio

Black metal is used for details throughout the apartment. In the living space, it outlines shelving, and forms countertops, dining stools and chair legs. It also creates an upside down T-shaped light above the kitchen counter.

Basanavičiaus by AKTA Studio

"While developing an interior design project in a modern residential house we have sought to retain the harmony relationship with Vilnius old town," AKTA's Dovilė Piekytė told Dezeen. "Therefore, we have decided to create a refined and decorative interior."

Basanavičiaus by AKTA Studio

"Monochrome background enhances rich colours and allows the artworks to stand out," she continued. "Cold grey tones are balanced by velvet fabrics, which also make a contrast to the textured ceiling."

Basanavičiaus by AKTA Studio

This theme is continued throughout the apartment. In the master bedroom, one of the walls is painted green. The bathroom features cabinets that match ones in the kitchen, as well as a textured white wall of tiles.

As a reference to the location's traditional design elements, wooden flooring in a chevron pattern is used throughout the interiors. It is also used to form a storage cabinet beneath the television in the living room.

Basanavičiaus by AKTA Studio

Also in Vilnius, designer Inga Pieslikaitė created a minimal interior for a coffee shop that features birch wood furniture, poured concrete flooring and white-painted walls.

Photography is by Leonas Garbačauskas.


Project credits:

Interior design: AKTA
Project team: Dovilė Piekytė, Normundas Vilkas and Dovilė Paunksnytė

More images and plans

Basanavičiaus by AKTA Studio
Basanavičiaus by AKTA Studio
Basanavičiaus by AKTA Studio
Floor plan