To create the apartment in the hayloft (the attic of the thatched-roof barn), Di Gregorio and Matz drew inspiration from the island’s traditional interior finishes and its colourful history as an outpost for passing sea captains. In fact, with its pint-sized kitchen, bathroom and study area, the second-floor apartment is reminiscent of the small ships that brought Föhr its earliest visitors.
First, the designers split the peaked-roofed space in two, and built a wood structure to organize the sleeping quarters on one side and the living and dining areas on the other. Riffing on the local custom of vibrantly tiled dining room walls (a display of wealth), the designers clad the entire central wall with 3,200 square tiles. Each one features a hand-drilled hole in its centre revealing the bright blue adhesive anchoring it in place and creating a spotted grid motif.
Eschewing the traditional balustrade, Di Gregorio and Matz delineated the staircase that leads to the main floor in a net-like enclosure of thin blue cable cords. The various shades of blue and green that pop up throughout the apartment as a nod to the island’s trademark colours are most dramatic in the two bedrooms. Complete with bed-boxes and built-in storage, these spaces are intimately cavernous, just like the sleeping quarters on a regal boat.