Young Family Apartment: Minimal Renovation in a 156-Year-Old Vilnius Building

Located on Sodų Street in Vilnius Old Town, Lithuania, this 156-year-old building houses a strikingly modern interior: the Young Family Apartment. Redesigned by SA Atelier, the apartment embraces a predominantly white palette that highlights its minimalist aesthetic while honoring the building’s historic features. The renovation turns an otherwise ordinary flat into a functional, spacious-feeling home that encourages decluttering, calm living, and a simple, modern lifestyle.

The apartment’s layout centers around a bespoke partition wall that houses the kitchen on one side and the bathroom on the other. This custom wall is the project’s defining move: it contains built-in storage, appliances and services, freeing the rest of the plan for an open living arrangement. With clever spatial planning and integrated storage above the partition, the apartment reads as one continuous, uncluttered space rather than a sequence of closed rooms.

High, ornate ceilings and original wooden floors remain key features of the home. Rather than hide those historic details, the designers painted the ceilings white and balanced them with warm wood flooring to create a harmonious blend of old and new. The result is a luminous interior where period character and contemporary minimalism enhance one another: the ornate plasterwork becomes an elegant focal point against the pared-back backdrop.

At approximately 85 square meters, the apartment feels more spacious than its footprint suggests. That sense of roominess stems from the open plan and the disciplined white scheme, which maximizes natural light and minimizes visual clutter. Furniture, lighting and switches were conceived as part of the interior language; many pieces were made or adapted by the residents and designers to fit the space precisely, reinforcing the apartment’s bespoke feel.

The multi-purpose partition is both practical and playful. Doors and openings introduce a subtle, whimsical character, while integrated cupboards and shelving keep everyday items out of sight. These design choices support a minimalist lifestyle—encouraging careful selection of possessions and thoughtful organization, ideal for a young couple beginning city life.

Lighting design and material choices contribute to the apartment’s inviting warmth. White surfaces bounce daylight deep into the rooms, while wooden floors and carefully considered accents prevent the interior from feeling sterile. The combined effect is modern and restrained, yet comfortable and lived-in—reflecting both the needs of contemporary urban living and respect for the home’s architectural heritage.

The designers preserved original elements wherever possible: panel parquet flooring, decorative ceilings and door frames remain part of the interior story. These authentic details anchor the renovation, giving the apartment a sense of continuity with the building’s past. At the same time, contemporary interventions—clean cabinetry, built-ins and minimalist fixtures—bring functionality and clarity to daily life.

All original authentic decorations have been preserved: panel parquet, ceiling decoration, door frames. Furniture, lamps and switches were made by the residents themselves. The implemented project marks a new and bright stage in the whole building life, along with the young families that are starting up there.

The renovation of this Young Family Apartment demonstrates how sensitive interventions can transform a historic dwelling into a contemporary home without erasing its identity. By centering spatial efficiency, integrated storage and a restrained material palette, the project creates a light-filled, modern living environment that still celebrates the building’s 19th-century character. Photography: Norbert Tukaj.