Sometimes the secret behind a home’s visual harmony is hidden to the untrained eye. The key to the "just so-ness" of this weekend retreat on the outskirts of Berlin is, according to its designers, Johanna and Friedrich Gräfling, the humble tape measure.
Here, the duo honed in on a "golden number", explains Friedrich: "Let’s say the height of the skirting boards is 21cm." That figure then informed the measurements that run through this modern home: for the bespoke joinery, the floorboards, the trims. "It’s this architectural, mathematical eye that gives balance to the project," adds Johanna.
The dining room uses this bright but moody hue on the walls — use it anywhere you want to create a cozy but convivial space.
The clients’ brief, however, did not come with such precision. The current owners bought the villa during COVID in order to spend more time in the countryside, but despite commissioning two previous interior designers, who’d variously added a new modern kitchen, paint schemes and in-built furniture, "the family never felt comfortable in it and so never really used it," explains Johanna.
"Our brief was to create a house that they’d feel at home in, but they couldn’t pinpoint what they’d need for that."
And so, the Gräflings reverted to the building’s original turn-of-the-century details — the arched ceilings, the wooden skirting and stucco moldings. Where the previous designers had tried to insert a more contemporary design (which arguably didn’t gel with the existing architecture), "We let the house speak to us, and that’s what made it come to life," says Friedrich.
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The striking new color palette also has a hint of history. "For inspiration, we looked at color books and architectural drawings of that time period," explains Friedrich. "But then we put them aside — only what sticks subconsciously is transported into our design. It’s not literal."
Color is one of the Gräflings’ design signatures. "We always use a lot of colors in our projects," says Johanna. Sometimes their color combinations may seem "overconfident", she admits, but when applied alongside that mathematical harmony, "they come together in a way that doesn’t overwhelm".
The villa’s use as a weekend retreat for the clients and their guests informed the design on various levels. Firstly, the clients wanted flexibility on sleeping arrangements — thus, the guest bedroom can accommodate three adults overnight, while the playroom is perfect for sleepovers.
In addition, says Johanna, "We wanted it to feel like a spring or summer getaway. So it needed to be bright and airy with welcoming colors to lend warmth and happiness." But, adds Friedrich, "This is not Marbella — there are practical considerations" — namely, Berlin’s colder weather.
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Thus, the open-air terrace now has glass walls with UV curtains that, says Friedrich, "allow you to sit there in the wind or sun, or even rain". The dining and living rooms, which will be mostly used during the winter months, have a different feel to the lower ground floor, explains Friedrich, "which opens up into the garden and pool and has more of a summery pop".
While the interiors might lean more to the Mediterranean, the art on display throughout the house was largely sourced in Germany. The Gräflings work closely with a wide network of artists in Germany and beyond and encourage their clients to go to their studios and form relationships with them. "It’s more personal than us just buying art for them," says Friedrich. "A lot of them really become part of this collecting habit."
If you love this home, then you'll love this elegant family home that was once a Church in Rotterdam.
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