Classic revisited

The initial step was to buy the property, about 140 square meters on the first floor of a historic building. Actually, the owner wanted to be on a higher floor but the fact the apartment had a 50 sq. meter terrace was the deciding factor. Everything else about the apartment was just what he wanted: a square floor plan, symmetrical, with dual exposure. A 1972 renovation had erased all traces of the 18th century. Removal of a false ceiling brought quite a surprise. Underneath were all the original paintings of the period. Everything was demolished including, of course, the false ceilings. The house was set free, its history brought back to light. That led to the redefinition of the rooms, giving the apartment a very contemporary look.

The option of dual access points to a room is one of the constants in this project, a specific request made by the homeowner. Thus, a dwelling took shape that is an exercise in fluidity, with uncommon connections: only the bathrooms have a single entrance and exit. One can move freely from the dining room with its frescoed ceilings and striking chandeliers, to the bedroom, where the Lifesteel bed and a small reading corner are located, to the kitchen, where Moka chairs are reflected in the stainless-steel floor, to the living room.

The living room ceiling is spectacular. The beams were lacquered black and, to bring light into the room, a back-lit sheet of micro-perforated brass was installed, visually doubling the vertical space. Interior design choices placed Perry Up and Guscio sofas center stage; both designed by Antonio Citterio. The overall color palette is in warm earth tones.

The walls, too, had originally been decorated, as revealed by further examination. But the homeowner wanted to quickly take possession of the apartment and recovery of all the art would have taken much longer than planned. The solution was to install plasterboard panels with a simple locking system that would allow access, at some point in the future, to restore the paintings. Reflective mirrored surfaces abound: in their own way, they are also as many “doors” expanding the space and lending further visual continuity between the various rooms.

The spacious terrace is accessed from the living room, offering a view outside that broadens the sweep of the room. It also connects the street side of the building with another more internal one. The lushly planted terrace is for the exclusive use of the apartment; in good weather it is used as an alfresco dining room where meals are enjoyed while comfortably seated on Moka Outdoor chairs around the Fly Outdoor table. Nearby, a conversation corner with Alison armchairs. The terrace also provides access to another room, in a second part of the building, that the owner uses as a home gym.