Apartment Inside A Former Monastery With A Secret Bookcase Door

Looking at this apartment nothing really gives away the fact that it’s part of what once used to be a monastery. The building is located in Trnava, Slovakia and was originally built in 1719. At one point during the 20th century it was converted into an apartment building. This is one of the flats that resulted from that new compartmentalization. It’s a 100 square meter apartment with a modern and functional interior. In 2016 it was remodeled by studio JRKVC.

There's a very nice cohesion between the wooden floor and ceiling in the living room
There’s a very nice cohesion between the wooden floor and ceiling in the living room
The custom-designed full-height bookcase has a secret door built right into it
The custom-designed full-height bookcase has a secret door built right into it

The remodel aimed to uncover some of the building’s original charm and at the same time to give the apartment a fresh, clean and modern appearance. The focus was mainly on the living room which is an open space with 3,6 meter high ceilings. The designers restored the original trusses and made the space look extra cozy thanks to features such as parquet flooring, wall bricks and a rustic-looking fireplace. The most interesting feature, however, is the Murphy door hidden within a full-height bookcase.

If you look closely you can notice that the left side of the bookcase looks slightly suspicious
If you look closely you can notice that the left side of the bookcase looks slightly suspicious
As the secret door opens, you get access to the bedroom. It's a pretty cool way of dividing the spaces
As the secret door opens, you get access to the bedroom. It’s a pretty cool way of dividing the spaces
When open, the Murphy door sits flush with the wall to the left
When open, the Murphy door sits flush with the wall to the left
The secret door connects the living room to the bedroom suite
The secret door connects the living room to the bedroom suite
The herringbone parquet flooring is a great fit for the apartment considering its history
The herringbone parquet flooring is a great fit for the apartment considering its history
The kitchen is seamlessly integrated into the main living area
The kitchen is seamlessly integrated into the main living area
The bathroom is small but has an airy and open look thanks to the white tiles and large mirror
The bathroom is small but has an airy and open look thanks to the white tiles and large mirror
There's a great sense of openness and cohesion throughout the apartment
There’s a great sense of openness and cohesion throughout the apartment
The full-height bookcase is seamlessly built into the wall and the Murphy door adds mystery to its design
The full-height bookcase is seamlessly built into the wall and the Murphy door adds mystery to its design
The bedroom suite is very simple and has a neutral color palette
The bedroom suite is very simple and has a neutral color palette
The walls throughout the apartment are kept bare and void of any wall-mounted decorations
The walls throughout the apartment are kept bare and void of any wall-mounted decorations
The kitchen has sleek wall-mounted shelves which add storage while maintaining an open look
The kitchen has sleek wall-mounted shelves which add storage while maintaining an open look
The light wood surfaces are complemented by white walls and black furniture
The light wood surfaces are complemented by white walls and black furniture
The entrance hall is seamlessly connected to the rest of the floor plan
The entrance hall is seamlessly connected to the rest of the floor plan