MALESICE | SMLXL

We joined the project of a three-storey house in Malešice at the Shell and Core stage. The main and dominant element became a massive concrete staircase with a raw steel railing, forming the true heart of the house. This geometric sculpture, crowned with a skylight that brings daylight into every part of the home, set the foundation for the project’s entire palette of colors, structures, and materials – from exposed concrete ceilings and raw steel details to concrete finishes on floors and walls.

To soften the overall impression and achieve a sense of home, we contrasted these raw surfaces with light oak wooden flooring in the living areas and oak-veneered furniture stained in a dark grey-brown tone. White lacquer and three shades of grey were chosen as complementary colors. An equally important role is played by texture – appearing in the form of perforated steel panels on furniture doors or MDF cladding with milled relief patterns.

Ground Floor
The first floor features an elegant entrance with a wardrobe area. Concealed door frames hide the entrances to the garage and technical facilities. Thanks to the lacquered milled MDF wall paneling, the hallway feels completely minimalist. A linear ceiling light set into the exposed concrete ceiling leads you forward like a runway toward the wardrobe. A custom-made pouf adds comfort while softening the contrast against the concrete floor finish. The furniture, made from dark-stained oak veneer, is complemented with dark handles, a steel drawer, and a matching hanging rail.

Staircase
Access to the second floor is via the central staircase – the most technically and visually challenging part of the project. The welded steel railing forms a geometric frame, defining the core of the house. Standing on the ground floor and looking up, one can see the sky through the cleverly placed skylight above. We intentionally avoided using a dominant pendant light that would distract from this sculptural feature, opting instead for subtle wall lights Aura by Marset.

Kitchen
The kitchen was designed generously, as the clients love to cook. Work surfaces run along the entire perimeter, allowing everyone to participate in meal preparation without limitation. The cooking zone opens up to a view of the garden. The serving area extends into a bar counter paired with Afteroom bar stools by Menu. The minimalist white cabinetry, featuring a subtle relief pattern, is finished with a Technistone terrazzo-effect worktop. Black accents appear in Buster + Punch handles (from Monobrand) and Flos linear lighting, used creatively across both ceiling and wall to form a geometric feature that continues throughout the house, elevating the lighting to a design statement. The seamless concrete floor is practical and visually connects the kitchen with the entryway and study, creating a geometric through-line across the home.

Dining Area
Designing custom dining tables is our guilty pleasure. This one features an asymmetric three-legged base – each leg turned differently and made from a distinct material: two in solid wood, one in raw steel. The legs are carefully positioned to ensure comfort for everyone, including those seated at the ends. A signature SMLXL design detail is the “leg piercing” through the tabletop, creating a distinctive visual accent. The pendant light above the table is by Lasvit. The upholstered bench was custom-made by a local upholsterer, with a veneered wooden base crafted by a joiner. The dining chairs are from Fritz Hansen.

Living Room
The dining bench transitions seamlessly into a TV sideboard, made of the same veneered wood but with a milled texture on the cabinet fronts. The bespoke modular sofa consists of two sections – the main one facing the TV and a smaller one oriented toward the window with a view of Malešice. Custom coffee tables made of Technistone reference the material used in the kitchen. Wall-mounted lighting by Vibia and the iconic Carl Hansen & Søn armchair complete the space, creating a harmonious, softly balanced environment that contrasts beautifully with the raw concrete of the adjacent hallway and staircase. An elegant oak-veneered bar adds the perfect finishing touch – a place to serve drinks to friends.

Study and Relaxation Zone
The upper living floor ends with a study and relaxation corner. A key feature is the raw steel bookshelf, visually linked to the staircase railing. Uniquely, it has no back panel, allowing daylight to filter through to the corridor and partially reveal the stairwell view. The degree of openness can be adjusted by the placement of books. The custom work desk follows the same design concept as the dining table and is paired with a Hay office chair. The relaxation corner is furnished with a Hay Uchiwa Quilt armchair and ottoman.

Guest WC
The guest toilet combines concrete wall finish with a slim steel shelf, a wooden drawer, and a pendant light Milana by Marset, creating a refined, elegant composition.

Private Floor
The third floor forms the private zone of the house, comprising the master bedroom, two bathrooms, a dressing room with laundry, and two additional rooms currently used as a study and guest room.

The bedroom, though compact, focuses on a custom asymmetrical headboard composed of multiple layers in different materials – paint, concrete texture, and soft vertical fabric cushions. The asymmetry is enhanced by contrasting lighting: a Enna wall lamp on one side and another Milana pendant by Marset on the other, adjustable thanks to a sliding suspension system.

The dressing room, adjacent to the bedroom, features built-in wardrobes made from lacquered MDF in two shades of grey. The same color palette continues onto perforated steel cabinet doors (for the laundry area) and decorative wall cladding. Raw steel reappears as a distinctive detail, even on the makeup table. The dressing room connects directly to one of the bathrooms.

The bathrooms feature large-format Inalco tiles in terrazzo décor (echoing the kitchen) combined with concrete wall finish. Oak-veneered furniture, Brokis lighting, dark Gessi fittings, and Catalano sanitaryware complete the unified, elegant look.