The Novi Sad Inheritance

A university professor and an advertising creative director from Toronto inherited a flat in a Socialist-era apartment block in Novi Sad. "The Athens of Serbia," Novi Sad has been a centre for Serbian culture and education in a region where five great empires strived for centuries to leave their marks.

The flat of 91 square meters is located on the top floor of the building, offering great light and views of the old city, the Petrovaradin Fortress and Frushka Gora mountain. Its two bedrooms, two bathroom, kitchen, living room and two balconies had never been renovated.

Intending to use the apartment for ourselves, rather than as a short-term rental, we charged our architect, Ivan Stanojev from Savremena Arhitektura, to update the apartment to reflect the way we live, with rooms that serve multiple purposes useful throughout the day. We were seeking to achieve a balance between Socialist and modern aesthetics. The floor plan of the apartment was changed only minimally, moving the door for the smaller bedroom so that a hallway space could be incorporated into a larger primary bedroom and an enlarged ensuite bath. The east-facing balcony was incorporated into the kitchen, providing a table and seating for dining or working. The dining room space is now a large kitchen island that incorporates storage and food prep and eating space as well as seating. A small second bathroom was expanded into an adjacent storage room and now provides a "wet room" featuring both a tub and shower. Laundry services were moved to an enclosed sun porch. And throughout the apartment, large closet spaces and shelving provide ample storage.

The furniture, as much as possible, incorporates the work of of Serbian designers. And much of the art work was developed from family mementos discovered in the apartment.