“The space itself began to radiate.” That is how the Prague interior design firm Malfinio, run by Martina Homolková, describes the effect of clearing a cramped apartment in a former tenement building of its many past lives. The gut project was the first step towards transforming the 135-metre-square space into what is now a spacious, light-filled, and expressively colourful home.

The project was a laboratory for testing out material possibilities, furniture construction and durability. The most interesting experiment that Malfinio conducted was in creating a large furniture block that houses the core functions of kitchen, bath and storage. This ingenious intervention, which allows these elements to be concealed or opened up to view, is also a canvas. While its inner tones are deep red – and a dark terracotta in the bathrooms – its outer white MDF panels are animated by a soft, ethereal mural by artist Klára Spišková. This unexpected flourish that recalls impressionistic blooms animates the structure, and introduces a romantic colour and pattern language that carries through to the rest of the home.

The palette continues in the living room, where Ligne Roset’s Togo sofas in a raspberry hue anchor a languorous seating area and Halo Edition’s Halo Sky light fixture projects a circular rainbow on the ceiling. Providing an architectural counterpoint to the diffuse colour scheme, a rational shelving unit frames the edge of the space and incorporates a mirrored surface that makes it feel infinite.

In the bedroom, which can be separated from the rest of the space and closed off by a mobile partition, the feminine hues pick up again. Encircling the bed, linen curtains in shades of apricot and vibrant crimson by designer Linda Kaplanová imbue the room with a sense of flow and calm. Textiles are a main ingredient in the home’s eclectic decor – a wall-hung piece by Miroslava Klesalová, called Pole, makes a dramatic statement in the dining room.

Elsewhere, material juxtapositions evoke a sense of balance and refined detail. Blue sheet metal contrasts with American walnut, rigorous steel shelving against silvery surfaces. In this modestly sized apartment, Malfinio has created a unique expression by mixing unusual surfaces and palettes. Daring in its artistry and colour, E19 is a bold interior from a promising young firm.