A Milanese residence designed in the name of strong and vibrant colours, mixed with contemporary design furniture, becomes the creative inspiration for a home décor with a strong character.
In a 1930s building in Milan there is an elegant apartment full of contrasting shades and modern elements. The renovation of the internal spaces was carried out by the architect Andrea Rubini who made a refined game of mix and match the distinctive note of an architectural and aesthetic revaluation with a strong personality. The references to the style of the time, recognizable in the boiserie in the living room, in the large French windows, in the marble and parquet floors, have been studied and re-proposed in a contemporary key.
Detail of the living room and entrance, furnished in the name of color and contemporary design.
In an explosion of intense colors – available in saturated shades in the different environments – classic design furnishings dialogue with many small fun accessories, arranged in a masterly manner, which give character and personality to the entire project. The living room, located next to the material kitchen, overlooks the balcony and features boiserie painted the same color as the walls, while the wooden floor is covered by a large blue and yellow carpet.
The living room with the large French window that opens onto the balcony.
Different materials and nuances for the tables, armchairs and cushions, combined with an anthracite gray sofa, while abstract prints and a black and white portrait characterize the walls. What can be added to such a decorated style? Here are some ideas, including space-saving solutions and equally lively, pantone-proof objects.
IDEA FOR THE LIVING ROOM
An ideal alternative to long curtains, perfect for those who love more current solutions, could be the package model. The Tuiss company, one of the largest online retailers of curtains and blinds in Europe for 20 years, offers the Bohème Spago model, easy to match with any furniture. It has three different coverings and is also available in the SmartView motorized version, which can be managed from your smartphone. However, if you want versatile coffee tables of different sizes that can be combined with each other, those from the Tambour collection by Magis are ideal. Designed by the Bouroullec brothers, they have an aluminum structure, with a painted concrete top and glossy finish.
A light point, which optimizes space and furnishes at the same time, is the Gople model proposed by Artemide. It is designed by the BIG studio and dimmable, with a hand-crafted glass top, and available both as a floor and table lamp. A different carpet, always modern and colourful, could be that of the Ge-Technique collection by Battilossi: it has graphics inspired by the art of Sol LeWitt and is hand-knotted in Pakistan according to ancient artisan techniques.
On the left, Bohème Spago model roman blind by Tuiss, starting from €20.78 – tendetuiss.it; on the right, coffee tables from the Tambour collection by Ronan Erwan Bouroullec for Magis, starting from €573 – magisdesign.com
On the left, Gople floor lamps by BIG for Artemide, starting from €290 – artemide.com; on the right, Ray Studio 1 carpet from the Ge-Technique collection by Storage Milano for Battilossi, 220×280 cm, from €5,913 – battilossi.com
The kitchen has been furnished by alternating white, chosen for the custom-made built-in wardrobe and the marble floor with delicate veins, and the wood which is instead found in the table and chairs, as well as in the wall units under the long wooden top. dark marble where the sink and hob are located. The very high ceiling, typical of period homes, is enhanced by the niche around the radiator, which has instead been painted choosing an intense ultramarine blue shade.
Two details of the kitchen, with custom-made furniture, chairs and designer wooden table.
IDEA FOR THE KITCHEN
Even in the most modern home, you can never go wrong with an all-white dish set. And the historic French brand Bourg-Joly Malicorne, founded in 1747, still produces tableware in refined hand-crafted porcelain that can be personalized with letters and coats of arms. To be combined, in perfect conceptual pendant, with the Iride line of glasses from Mauro Cazzaro’s Kanz studio. They are made of glass and worked with a hand-painted background, creating pleasant plays of light.
A set of cutlery, suitable for any tableware, is the one proposed by Opinel in the La Table au Soleil! package: it is composed of the Sylve fork and the Bon Appétit knife with beech wood handles and stainless steel blades. They are practical and easy to handle, as well as versatile and indestructible. And for a high-impact mise en place, the new carafe from the Carte Blanche Céramique studio just presented at the Parisian MO fair. It is made of handmade white stoneware and has a surface finish that makes it easier to grip.
Handmade porcelain plates from the Bourg-Joly Malicorne brand, starting from €45 – malicorne.com
Glass glasses from the Iride line by Kanz, available in various colours, price of the set of 6 glasses €175 – kanzarchitetti.com
On the left, cutlery set from the La Table au Soleil box set! by Opinel, set with 4 forks and 4 knives €98 – opinel.com; on the right, handmade carafe from the Carte Blanche Céramique studio, starting from €70 – carteblancheceramiques.com | photo Mathilde Moignard
The dining room kept the light wooden floor, while the walls were painted choosing a touch of powder blue, in contrast with the high white ceiling. An entire wall houses a large wooden bookcase, with the shelves arranged in a staggered manner which creates a pleasant optical effect. Various designer seats have been combined with the table with a round top.
The dining room, furnished with a round table, mismatched designer chairs and a dark wooden bookcase behind it.
IDEA FOR THE DINING ROOM
A scenographic chandelier, to be combined with a classic wooden table, is the Barlume model designed by Giuseppe Arezzi for It’s Great Design. It has a steel structure with trapezoidal elements in transparent colored methacrylate, with a choice of two color variants. While a decorative element to be placed on a table, a shelf or a bookcase shelf is the d’Avril vase by the French studio Tsé-Tsé. It is made up of 21 glass test tubes, also available in porcelain and in different colours, joined by galvanized steel rings that can be assembled to create various configurations.
Barlume chandelier by Giuseppe Arezzi for It’s Great Design, diameter 131 cm, €2,500 – greatdesign.fr | photo Natale Leontini
Tsé-Tsé Avril jar, with glass tubes and galvanized rings, €220 – tse-tse.com
Dark walls and a large full-wall wardrobe, covered with a romantic wallpaper, for the main bedroom. The bed chosen has a high headboard padded with a light-coloured fabric, which recalls the color chosen for the niche around the large window.
The bedroom with the large full-wall wardrobe in front of the double bed.
IDEA FOR THE BEDROOM
Graphic prints with a modern flavor for the Sound sheet and bedspread set, proposed by Gabel1957 in the Bianco Pop collection. The historic, certified and sustainable company that produces everything in Italy, offers a high quality, versatile and resistant textile line. While. to store small objects, Bloomingville offers the set of bamboo boxes with red decorations. Light to handle and available in two different sizes, they are practical to use and beautiful to display, even on the shelf near the window.
Project by Andrea Rubini architect – andrearubini.com
Photo Helenio Barbetta
On the left, Sound complete sheet-bedspread from the Bianco Pop collection by Gabel1957, from €58 – gabel1957.com; on the right, set of bamboo boxes by Bloomingville, €89.90 – bloomingville.com
On the cover, the living room of the Milanese apartment, a very refined ancient-modern ensemble played on chromatic contrasts.
