A Dreamy Loft in Prague With Castle Views and an Onyx Moon

Designed by A1 Architects, the Onyx Moon Loft is located in the district of Malá Strana on Prague's Kampa Island. The owner of the 2,368-square-foot residence splits his time between the Czech Republic and Japan, so it's no surprise that hints of these influences reveal themselves throughout the space, including concentric circles, matte-wood surfaces, brass etchings, and walls painted with flowers.

Marrying Japanese minimalism with luxurious European textures and fabrics, the elegant apartment is bright and airy, with a large window in the living room that frames views of the Prague Castle and the streets of Malá Strana.

The team at A1 Architects believe in paying attention to every little detail in each home they work on. This loft is no exception to that rule. "Even very small places like niches for flowers are important. We tailor-make every detail specifically for the person living in the home," says architect Lenka Křemenová.

The owner has a passion for onyx, so the architects installed a large round onyx panel within a cutout section of the wooden wall separating the bedroom from the dressing room. 

When the evening light shines through the pearly surface of the stone, the onyx glows like the full moon. 

According to architect David Maštálka, A1 Architects’ goal with Onyx Moon Loft was to simplify its view axis, openings, and connections. 

The visual focus in the day should be the panorama of the river and castle as seen from the living room window, and at night, the visual focus shifts to the onyx moon above the bed. 

Klára Šumová, who designed the furniture and fittings, and Michaela Tomišková of Dechem, who designed the glass items and lighting, worked with A1 Architects to create brass fixtures, chandeliers, and door nobs and handles with glass infills crafted by skilled Czech glassblowers. 

Czech illustrator Michal Bačák created the unique graphics on the heating screens, as well as the painted walls.  

Project Credits:

-Architecture: A1 Architects

-Furniture and fitting design: Klára Šumová

-Lighting and glass fitting design: Michaela Tomišková of Dechem

-Wall illustrations: Michal Bačák

-Other credits: Vojtěch Vecán of Landscape4u