Warsaw was devastated during World War II, so when designer Karolina Howorko, who flits between the Polish capital and Amsterdam, was called upon to revamp a petite studio inside a building dating from the 1930s, she was both delighted and shocked by the edifice’s resilience. “Until the facade was restored a few years ago, you could still see bullet holes from the war,” says Howorko, who founded Studio Hoka. “There is also a private garden, which is a rarity for the city center.”

The nearly 300-square-foot bijou apartment hadn’t been renovated in some 50 years, and when Howorko first stepped into it, it resembled “a ruin,” she says. “I saw that the space was super tiny, but I knew that there was a lot of possibility. I wanted to rejuvenate it and connect it to the amazing history of the building.”

Before: Entry

Howorko’s client, a doctor close to retirement, initially “had limited expectations due to the age of the place,” she admits. “My goal for Karolina was to create a welcoming and distinctive environment. I envisioned a space that felt modern with ample storage, warm tones, and a lot of white. I wanted it to be versatile and reflective of my interests, such as travel.”

After: Entry

Howorko, who has a flair for transforming cramped urban domiciles into comfortable, multipurpose retreats, was just the right person to tackle the ambitious project.

Before: Kitchen

She drew upon her expertise in both architecture and set design, and throughout the process she was guided by the notion of kawalerka, a Polish term describing characterful single-person dwellings.

Consider the oak floor. It had been intact for almost a century, and Howorko wanted to preserve it as an ode to the building’s past. One section was beyond repair, so she replaced it with complementary tiles. “When we took out that part of the floor, there was sand underneath it,” she says. “You always have discoveries. You never know what will happen in these old apartments.”

After: Kitchen

Likewise, she removed the window in the bathroom and combed through flea markets to replace it with a decorative one with an Art Nouveau flourish.

The kitchen dominated the middle of the studio, so the designer optimized the layout by moving it against the wall and outfitting it with all the cooking essentials. Given the home’s proximity to Hala Koszyki food hall and a plethora of restaurants, Howorko gave the space the air of an animated bar with cabinets painted a deep, Bloody Mary–red hue.

Before: Living Area

Aside from the sofa, Howorko opted for custom furniture—most of it by her design and brought to life by local maker Studio Luka. “It continuously wraps the space, for a sense of freedom and modularity,” she explains.

After: Living Area

The flat has several hidden closets (one effortlessly morphs into a television stand and kitchen cabinet as needed), eye-catching integrated storage, a well-concealed washing machine, and a sizable table that cleverly unfolds from the wall for impromptu dinner parties. Tall, strategically placed mirrors at the entry and the vast backdrop of white make the studio feel significantly larger than its compact footprint.

After: Closet

By the windows are shelves where the owner displays her books and copious vintage finds, and an L-shaped bench with integrated cabinetry. “You have a view over the trees and the busy street life of Warsaw,” Howorko says. “The biggest challenge was fitting the functionality and aesthetics together—having a nice-looking space with a lot of storage.”

After: Shelves

After: Art

For finishing touches, Howorko dreamed up murals emblazoned with abstract marine motifs. Rendered in black and white, they capture the homeowner’s passion for maritime sojourns. Nearby, rosy pinks pop against earthy woods, and an abundance of light sources help fine-tune the mood.

“Even though the space is small, I wanted there to be different atmospheres,” points out Howorko. “It’s like a stage where you can turn the spotlight on or off.”

More Before & After stories:

Two Art Lovers Turn Their Chicago Cottage Into a Collector’s Paradise for $53K

Built-In Storage Unlocks the Potential of a Family’s Small Hong Kong Flat

In Madrid, a Family of Architects Turn a “Cave” Into a Light-Filled Apartment

Project Credits:

Architecture/Interior Design: Studio Hoka / @hoka_projects

Builder/General Contractor: Radoslaw Siejka

Carpentry: Lukasz Karpinksi, Studio Luka / @studioluka.pl