Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Smart Small-space Living in a Retro-chic Munich Flat
Interiors blogger Igor Josifovic’s design-savvy approach to furnishing his small home exemplifies his love for detail and utility
As an interiors blogger, Igor Josifovic inspires his followers with his passion for detailed interiors. Igor applied that same careful eye to the design of his own flat in Munich’s Old Town, and quite artfully mastered the challenges of small-space living in the process. Munich’s real estate market is notoriously competitive, but Igor actually purposefully chose to live in a small flat. He prefers carefully evaluating any potential new purchases, letting go of unused possessions, and arranging everything with careful precision. Therefore, the interior blogger’s 32 sq metre flat has been anything but a disadvantage for him!
Photos: La petite Olga
Photos: La petite Olga
The main space of the loft apartment is accessed through a small hallway, and encompasses the bedroom, dining, and living room all in one. In order to lend some structure to the space, Igor used different wall colours to define certain areas.
Farrow & Ball’s soft grey ‘Plummett‘, which was used on the entire wall of the dining and living area, adds warmth and depth to the room. Furthermore, the pops of colour in the flat appear even more vivid against the grey background. A small teak monkey from Kay Bojesen, hanging from a little mandarin plant, giving the ensemble a playful touch.
Igor raves about a very special piece of furniture sitting in the living room, namely the leather armchair ‘Leya’ from Freifrau. ‘No matter what happens, this chair will never be replaced for something else.’
Sofa, Arco from BoConcept. Coffee table, Copine from Fashion for Home.
Farrow & Ball’s soft grey ‘Plummett‘, which was used on the entire wall of the dining and living area, adds warmth and depth to the room. Furthermore, the pops of colour in the flat appear even more vivid against the grey background. A small teak monkey from Kay Bojesen, hanging from a little mandarin plant, giving the ensemble a playful touch.
Igor raves about a very special piece of furniture sitting in the living room, namely the leather armchair ‘Leya’ from Freifrau. ‘No matter what happens, this chair will never be replaced for something else.’
Sofa, Arco from BoConcept. Coffee table, Copine from Fashion for Home.
Igor squeezed a small bookshelf directly under the slope of the roof. In order to loosen up the look, the books are not all lined up neatly in a row. Instead, they’re alternately lined up horizontally and vertically. Travel guides, fashion illustrations, and even cookbooks can all be found in this mix of volumes. Colourful glass vases and marble candle holders further decorate the little nook.
The dining area, which is only a couple of steps away from the corner bookshelf and the sofa, provides an inviting space to relax and enjoy a laid-back breakfast. ‘When I am in Munich on the weekends, I purposefully take my time in order to enjoy my breakfast and have a relaxed start to the days off,’ Igor says.
The shiny white dining table from Ikea, the bright Eames Chairs DSR from Vitra and the ‘City Sunday’ magazine holder from Minus Tio give the dining space its character. ‘By the way, this magazine holder regularly turns out to be a real social media hero. On Instagram I’m constantly being asked who made it and where it can be bought,’ Igor reveals.
The chairs from Vitra are a true rarity. They are vintage finds from London, and they’re still made out fibreglass.
A vintage kilim, which Igor brought home from Turkey, further separates the dining area. Its style fits perfectly into the cheerful dining corner.
The shiny white dining table from Ikea, the bright Eames Chairs DSR from Vitra and the ‘City Sunday’ magazine holder from Minus Tio give the dining space its character. ‘By the way, this magazine holder regularly turns out to be a real social media hero. On Instagram I’m constantly being asked who made it and where it can be bought,’ Igor reveals.
The chairs from Vitra are a true rarity. They are vintage finds from London, and they’re still made out fibreglass.
A vintage kilim, which Igor brought home from Turkey, further separates the dining area. Its style fits perfectly into the cheerful dining corner.
Igor’s colourful collection of ceramics is displayed on a ‘Torsby’ Ikea table, which is often used as a surface for various blog-related photoshoots. ‘I love collecting ceramics, and my friends also occasionally bring me an item or two back from their travels,’ Igor says. The table displays anything from Urbanara cups to handmade bowls and jugs brought back from his last trip to Israel.
Learn how to display your ceramics
Learn how to display your ceramics
Igor’s favourite place in the flat is undoubtedly the sleeping nook. The pitched roof and the hanging plants create a small nest and an ideal place of retreat. ‘Even though I love travelling, I am always excited to come back home and to relax,’ the blogger says.
Even though the sleeping area is separated from the living and dining area by only a partial wall, this space feels wholly contained nonetheless. The mustard-yellow ‘Anadia’ bedspread from Urbanara certainly helps with this, as its elegant jacquard weave is a real eye-catcher.
The slope under the roof is painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Down Pipe’. The bedroom windows face east, which means that the space is flooded with light in the morning. However, the rich, dark paint manages to mute the light a bit and therefore ensures a cosy sleeping area perfect for the occasional weekend lie-in. Another interesting detail in the room is the framed photograph over the bed. ‘The photo always reminds me of travelling, my greatest passion,’ Igor says.
Even though the sleeping area is separated from the living and dining area by only a partial wall, this space feels wholly contained nonetheless. The mustard-yellow ‘Anadia’ bedspread from Urbanara certainly helps with this, as its elegant jacquard weave is a real eye-catcher.
The slope under the roof is painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Down Pipe’. The bedroom windows face east, which means that the space is flooded with light in the morning. However, the rich, dark paint manages to mute the light a bit and therefore ensures a cosy sleeping area perfect for the occasional weekend lie-in. Another interesting detail in the room is the framed photograph over the bed. ‘The photo always reminds me of travelling, my greatest passion,’ Igor says.
Apart from working at Happy Interior Blog, Igor is a co-founder of the Urban Jungle Bloggers project. The project is all about living with plants. Therefore it doesn’t come as a surprise that the 32 sq m flat is a veritable green oasis. The plants have been skilfully integrated into the flat’s interior. They create a cosy atmosphere, bring in a bit of nature, and inspire Igor to begin planning his next trip.
Mirror, Stockholm, and chest of drawers, Malm, both from Ikea.
Discover 8 health benefits of house plants
Mirror, Stockholm, and chest of drawers, Malm, both from Ikea.
Discover 8 health benefits of house plants
Every month, Urban Jungle Bloggers arranges plants according to different themes. Recently, the topic was ‘hanging plants,’ which Igor incorporated on the slope over his bed, simultaneously bringing a touch of spring into the flat. As is the case with most of us, Igor is now preparing for a great spring clean. What will stay, and what will be kicked to the street? Igor doesn’t know yet, but with his ‘one in - one out’ motto, a change is surely on its way.
Right now, Igor plans to keep the classic Danish ‘Bølling’ bedside table from Brdr. Krüger. Decorated with lovingly selected ceramics, the table seems custom-made to fit in the space between the bed and the chest of drawers. Blue and yellow accents, which are found all across the flat, are present in this display as well. The table also houses the small ‘Milk’ lamp from &tradition. ‘It looks like a small UFO, and gives a pleasant light,’ Igor says.
Igor’s love for detail is also exemplified in his writing accessories. ‘No coffee, no work’ is not only his favourite saying, but also that of his pencil (from Dawanda). With that in mind, the blogger, social media manager and interiors lover enjoys a freshly brewed coffee - and gets right back to work planning his newest travelling and design adventures.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, please send information and photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, please send information and photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.
Who lives here Igor Josifovic, social media manager and interior blogger at Happy Interior Blog, and co-founder of Urban Jungle Bloggers
Location Munich, Germany
Size 32 sq m
Igor has created his own personal oasis high above the rooftops of the Bavarian capital, surrounded by the buzzing activity of the Old Town. When the social media manager, who also runs the Happy Interior Blog since 2011, moved into this flat over seven years ago, one challenge immediately stood out: how can I furnish one and a half tiny rooms? And how can I possibly do it in a pleasing way?
Inspired by his various travels abroad, Igor decided to get to work. The result is a mix of urban Boho style with vintage elements, infused with a couple of Scandi accents. Blue and yellow define the space’s colour scheme, and are reminiscent of a sunny day at the beach. Perfect for relaxing and dreaming about the next holiday!
From the very beginning, Igor’s interior decorating motto was: ‘One in - one out.’ Before a new piece of furniture or an accessory could be introduced into the flat, an old one had to be removed. ‘This is how I create space for new objects, since I don’t have a basement or a storage closet. Not only does this method bring a breath of fresh air into the flat, it also ensures that the space doesn’t get cluttered,’ Igor explains.