LAYERS OF LIGHT
Starting from the client’s primary need to obtain a second single bedroom in addition to the existing ones, the design of this apartment, located in a classic “old Milanese” building, prompted a radical reconfiguration of the layout. The demolition plan involved an almost complete reinterpretation of the spatial organization and material palette. The only preserved elements are the original carpentry with geometric moldings and the splendid Olive wood parquet in the master bedroom.
A wood and glass sliding door with an arched fanlight separates the living room from the kitchen while also maintaining a visual and spatial connection between the two areas. The kitchen island, rotated 90 degrees from its typical orientation, embraces this connection and becomes the true hub of domestic life and social interaction.
Custom-designed wardrobes, a hallmark of our interior work, play an essential role in structuring the space. In the living area, a system of built-in storage and partitions defines the layout. The hallway, which distributes access to the bedrooms, is organized around a symmetrical bespoke volume, a functional vestibule that integrates entry doors and storage for the two single bedrooms.
The floor plan unfolds from a neutral, light-filled entrance space, where bright finishes enhance the sense of spaciousness and invite visitors to discover the apartment’s more unexpected core.
The project develops around a dialogue between carefully selected materials, introduced to create warmth and variation while maintaining a coherent visual language throughout the apartment. Oak flooring extends across the living areas, children’s bedrooms and the corridor leading to the sleeping area, reinforcing continuity while subtly differentiating the spaces through its laying pattern. In the living room, the boards are laid in an Italian herringbone pattern, while in the children’s bedrooms and the corridor, the same boards are laid lengthwise. This variation in direction creates a subtle change in spatial character, while the continuity of the material maintains a cohesive connection throughout the apartment
In the master bedroom, the restored original Olive wood parquet flooring creates a warm dialogue with the custom-designed wardrobe, characterized by full-height frosted glass panels framed in brushed metal. The addition of solid Oak handles introduces a tactile contrast and a subtle decorative accent, enhancing the overall sense of understated elegance.
That core is the master bathroom, the project’s most surprising feature: fully clad in deep teal Zellige tiles, covering both floor and walls, it stands in striking chromatic contrast to the rest of the apartment. The white Carrara marble vanity unit completes the composition, resulting in an atmosphere that borders on the mystical.
DATA
Location: Milano – Italy
Year: 2022 – 2023
Area: 90 sqm
Client: Private
With: Carlotta Del Prato, Sara Romeo, Vidhi Marda
Contractor: Florian Dedi Ristrutturazioni
Carpenter and Fitter: Traxform
Kitchen Furniture: Cappellini Cucine S.r.l.
Photography: Francesca Iovene