‘Interiors We Love’ celebrates spaces where architecture, craft, and emotion converge. The series spotlights interiors defined by material intelligence and enduring beauty; spaces that move beyond trends, shaping everyday rituals and reflecting the evolving language of contemporary architecture worldwide.
Drawing inspiration from the horizon—its openness, energy, and quiet sense of motion—the design translates these impressions into a language rooted in sailing. The apartment ‘Above the Horizon’ designed by Iva Hajkova Studio unfolds like a life at sea, immersed in layered blues and grounded by the tactile presence of natural materials. Once concealed, concrete surfaces are revealed and carefully refined, while wooden planks establish a deck-like foundation for everyday living. Shades of blue move fluidly through the kitchen, library, and lighting, echoing the shifting tones of water and sky. In contrast, the bedroom is enveloped in clay plaster, evoking the calm depth of the seabed or the promise of a distant shore.
Situated high within a panel residential building, the apartment enjoys expansive views of the Prague sky.
Although the panorama is partially interrupted by a busy traffic artery, this condition introduces a constant sense of motion—an urban rhythm that became a central conceptual reference for the design.
The interior draws inspiration from both the vastness of the horizon and the dynamics of movement. In close dialogue with the client, these qualities were translated into a spatial narrative inspired by sailing: endless horizons, shifting shades of blue, and the quiet power of wind and motion.
This narrative informed both the material palette and the atmospheric quality of the space, resulting in a refined and calming home that remains subtly connected to its urban surroundings. The project was aptly titled ‘Above the Horizon’.
Rather than concealing the structural identity of the panel building, the design embraces it.
Layers of old paint and plaster were removed to reveal the raw concrete beneath, allowing its texture to function as an honest architectural backdrop. A wooden plank floor runs throughout the apartment, conceived as a “deck” that anchors daily life in warmth and tactility. Shades of blue appear in the kitchen, library, and lighting elements—each slightly varied, yet flowing seamlessly from one area to the next. In the bedroom, clay plaster introduces an earthy counterpoint, evoking the seabed or a shoreline toward which one is sailing.
All elements are framed within a minimalist architectural language that prioritizes clarity, functionality, and restraint. The original three-room layout was transformed into a generous two-room apartment with a separate walk-in closet, enhancing spatial fluidity and comfort. The bathroom was redesigned to include a spacious shower, while discreet storage integrated around the wall-mounted toilet maximizes efficiency without compromising visual coherence. The walk-in closet provides ample storage and incorporates a dedicated niche for a bicycle with charging capability, alongside a station for an electric vacuum cleaner.
Contemporary living requirements are addressed through the integration of a smart home system and advanced security features. Privacy and acoustic comfort are enhanced by interior and exterior blinds, as well as the replacement of the original plastic windows with high-performance wood–aluminum triple-glazed units.
These interventions significantly reduce noise from the surrounding city, resulting in a quiet and composed interior environment.
‘Above the Horizon’ is an interior that exemplifies the ‘Interiors We Love’ category: a project that transforms the limitations of a panel apartment into a poetic, highly functional home. Through narrative-driven design, honest materials, and detailing, it offers a calm yet dynamic domestic landscape—an elegant retreat positioned between the movement of the city and the stillness of the horizon.
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About studio / author
Iva Hajkova Studio specializes in the design and realization of residential interiors, with a strong emphasis on quality, detail, and a highly personal approach. Each project is tailored to reflect the client’s lifestyle, harmoniously connecting the space with its surroundings while delivering long-term value. We believe that investing in premium materials, precise craftsmanship, and thoughtful continuity pays off in the form of a timeless interior that not only looks exceptional but also works flawlessly. Every project is a story we create together with the client—crafted down to the very last detail, from the initial concept to the complete management of the entire renovation.
Facts & Credits
Project title Above the Horizon
Typology Interior, Apartment, Renovation
Location Prague, Czech Republic
Architecture Iva Hajkova Studio (Iva Hájková, Kateřina Šmardová)
Design Team Vlaďka Rosypálková
Illustrations Michal Bačák
Surface 71 m2
Status Completed, 2025
Photography Radek Úlehla
Text by the authors
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