Pure white

Gazing at the gleaming white terraces of the famous Salt Hill, located in the spa area of Egerszalók in north-eastern Hungary, one cannot help but wonder whether it was this astonishing geological formation that inspired the interior renovation project described in this article. The 300-square-metre home, located close to the spa, opted for a pure white look in terms of its material and colour, a design solution that ensures a truly original visual relationship between interior and exterior, between architecture and nature. Nonetheless, the connection with the landscape has resulted in simple, clean volumes, as if to differentiate the orderly and rational internal spatial organisation from the site’s complex landform.
We spoke to the architect responsible for the project, Glória Papp from P-Art/TNA Studio. “Our primary aim was to create a perfectly proportioned and highly functional interior,” she said. And choosing the colour of the Salt Hill proved to be a way of restoring formal purity and simplicity to the rooms. “By using white as the common feature of all the design solutions, we were able to create a homogeneous and unobtrusive domestic environment that was ready to be personalised by the owners,” she continued.
The custom-designed furnishings are discreetly incorporated into the storage volumes and become an integral part of the walls, while the white painted surfaces contribute to the sense of unity. The only exception, explains the architect, is “the fireplace, which reveals its autonomous presence through the choice of black as a distinctive colour”.
By contrast, the tables, chairs and sofas provide a splash of colour and design, energising the interiors and reflecting the personalities of the owners.
But what makes the project truly unique and creates a powerful sense of visual continuity between all the rooms in the house is the choice of the surface coverings. The use of ceramic tiles for the floors and walls (with the sole exception of the bedroom) creates a sense of neutrality – always refined, never anonymous – enhanced by the choice of pure white as the epitome of light and airiness. In particular, the architects opted for large porcelain surfaces (the Marte collection from the Granitogres line in a 60×120 cm size, produced by Casalgrande Padana), reminiscent of the white textural look of local travertine and explicitly referencing the beauty of the local landscape.
As for its spatial layout, the house extends over two different levels divided functionally between the living and sleeping areas. On the ground floor, the living room and kitchen have a double height volume dominated by the balcony and the landing next to the bedrooms and bathrooms. The sense of space is enhanced by the white surfaces and the use of partitions to eliminate rigid divisions. The layout is inspired by the rotation of two cubes, a concept that lends a sense of dynamism to rooms that would otherwise appear excessively square and regular.
The result is a perfect balance between material, colour and spatial choices, revealing a strong sense of originality and an ability to maintain control over every aspect of the project.