Sina Gwosdzik and Jakob Dannenfeldt met as product design students at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, and soon fell in love, moved into their Berlin apartment, and launched their design studio, Jäll & Tofta. Their first apartment from 2007 is still their home today, 17 years and two children later.

“Ten years ago, our home looked like a totally different apartment,” says Sina. “I can remember the Ikea sofa and white walls with bright yellow stripes.” But today, reflections differ between them: Sina thinks the home is calmer now, but Jakob believes it’s more colorful. “The hallway used to be reddish pink; now it’s green,” he says. “We try to keep it clean and simple, so when you walk in, you don’t get overwhelmed, even though it’s a strong color.”

Sina and Jakob’s three-bedroom apartment is on the third floor of a five-story, early-1900s building in Berlin’s trendy Kreuzberg area. It spans an entire block on a broad promenade, which is often used as a film set because it shows how old-world Berlin looked before much of it was bombed during World War II. Like most apartment blocks in the city, the building has two apartments on each floor, one facing the front street and one in the back. Theirs is at the front.

In the two decades they’ve lived there, Sina and Jakob have remodeled in small stages many times, starting with refurbishing the worn, dark wood floors, then whitewashing them and fitting some rooms with cream carpets. “When we moved in, we didn’t have children and we used the rooms differently than we do today with two teenagers,” Sina says.

With 100 square meters (about 1,076 square feet) total, the family of four is limited on space. Sina and Jakob are constantly trying to find creative ways to live nicely, but as they say, in true Berlin fashion, “with the money we have.” Throughout the apartment are storage interventions built by Jakob, including a platform bed for each child and many cabinets and closets.

They have painted all the rooms five to ten times and swapped all three bedrooms back and forth over the years. The couple have slept in each of the three rooms, enjoying their unique views and layouts. “Everything is, and remains, a work in progress,” Sina says. “Our home is a playground for new colors and bespoke furniture solutions.”

Just inside the entry is an L-shaped hallway with grass-green walls and two bedrooms are on either side of the front door. Further down the hall lies the living room and a bathroom. The kitchen is at the end of the hall, and the final bedroom lies just beyond.

Earlier this year, the couple tackled their primary bedroom by adding a large closet and painting the walls Dimity by Farrow and Ball (a pale shade of pink that’s carried across most of the apartment). Paired with the cream carpeting, it’s an ethereal space.

Bright red knobs and wall lamps and light blue door frames and handles provide pops of color. The apartment is a subdued interpretation of ’80s Memphis design, with its brightly colored shapes. “We try to be a little experimental and push boundaries, especially beyond the typical white kitchen standard to Berlin,” Sina says.

About a year ago, they renovated their centrally located kitchen, including the floor, walls, and cabinets. For them, this renovation has been the most satisfying change. It features mismatched cabinets that range in color from exposed pale wood to peach and pale blue. The upper cabinets are clad in mirrors, making the room feel more spacious, and there’s a built-in bench for dining.

Sina and Jakob’s family home embraces their daily lives. Their studio is just two blocks away, on the same side of the street, so when they look out the window from their office, they see the same redbrick building that they can see from their living room window. This proximity has been incredibly convenient for running a small business and raising their kids: “They come home from school and pop by the office, so we know they are home for lunch, and safe,” says Sina.

And although it’s in Kreuzberg, which is known for clubbing and nightlife, the flat is in a special nook opposite the bustle, near the spacious Park am Gleisdreieck, a former railway that’s now one of Berlin’s most popular parks. “We still love our home after being here for over 15 years,” says Sina. “We try to use it as effectively as possible. But if I could wish for anything, it would be for one more room, like a study, to work from in the evenings.”

Have you taken on an ambitious Rental Revamp—or do you know someone who has? We want to hear about it! Reach out to edit@dwell.com with photos and a brief description.

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Project Credits:

Interior Design: Jäll & Tofta / @jallundtofta

Builder/General Contractor: Jäll & Tofta