Carpe Diem: A Small Space, A Big Idea
Architect and designer María Trabuchi relished the chance to step beyond the familiar. “In this project, I was my own client. I took it as a challenge but also as a playful experiment,” she says. In reimagining Carpe Diem, her 42sqm Barcelona apartment, Trabuchi – together with her business partner Eugenia Gatti – started with a simple idea: to transform a cramped, seven-room layout into something bright and serene. A home where friends and family could gather, share meals, and feel welcome. Hosting was central to the vision. A guest bedroom might seem like a luxury with a limited floorplan, but for Trabuchi, an Argentine living in Barcelona, it was important to have a space for visiting friends and family. Beyond a simple renovation, the architects used her home as an opportunity to explore alternative materials and ideas they might not typically use in client projects, treating the apartment as a space for creative freedom.
A Designer’s Playground
Set in the vibrant, pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood of Clot, the apartment forms part of a building dating back to 1876 and though the unit had been renovated over the years, it was long overdue for a transformation. They began with the ceiling. “We are convinced that in a small space, cubic metres are just as important as square metres,” says Trabuchi. They saw the removal of the dropped ceilings as essential to restoring the apartment’s full height – and with it, a true sense of volume. “The wooden beams with Catalan vaulted ceilings were a key factor in the design. Leaving them exposed allowed us to gain more ceiling height in these spaces, and since they are made of wood, they bring warmth to the space,” notes Gatti.
The architects also removed all of the interior walls, creating a blank canvas to reimagine a home that breathed with light and life. They then reconfigured the space, centering it around an open-plan kitchen, dining, and living area – the new heart of the home. Next, they extended a multifunctional hallway along the main wall, concealing a fridge, laundry, and wardrobe that doubles as a dressing zone. At the rear, they created two bright bedrooms that draw in light from an internal lightwell, a feature typical of Barcelona’s historic apartment buildings, with a bathroom tucked neatly between them.
Contrast and Continuity in a Small Space
Today, walking into Carpe Diem feels like an exhale. It’s a feeling carefully crafted by design. The architects’ creative direction balances clean-lined minimalism with tactile warmth. “We were inspired by Danish architecture, combining its minimalist concepts with added colour and a refined aesthetic, giving the space a vintage elegant style,” Gatti explains. The designers replaced the outdated porcelain tiles with microcement flooring to create a sense of flow throughout. In the bathroom, they introduced a deliberate contrast using artisan tiles in warm earthy hues and black fixtures that add a touch of play. With hosting always front of mind, they tailored the home to welcome company with ease: the dining table seats up to ten, the entry sideboard becomes extra seating when needed, and the generous kitchen island encourages gathering, conversation, and shared meals.
Constraint as Creative Freedom
Carpe Diem is a distillation of Trabuchi and Gatti’s approach to small-space design – one that sees compact living as a chance to experiment and express. “At our studio, we see small spaces not as limitations, but as opportunities to enhance creativity,” explains Gatti, an idea that finds form in every corner of the home. Each decision in the apartment was guided by this mindset: to embrace light and to celebrate material honesty, and to design with purpose. By carefully considering both space and volume, they’ve created a home that feels serene, considered, and deeply personal. In Carpe Diem, constraint becomes possibility, and every detail tells a story of thoughtful, joyful design.
