Living in small spaces: a minimal apartment in Milan

Living in small spaces: a minimal apartment in Milan

Living in small spaces means living the contemporaneity. Functionality is the key-word: knowing how to add take advantage of the interiors while being able to use all its potentialities.  

THE CONTEMPORARY PANORAMA THE CONTEXT THE WORK SHAPES, COLOURS AND MATERIALS

 

THE CONTEMPORARY PANORAMA

The increase in the number of the population necessarily interfaces with the problem of lack of space. In the contemporary architectural panorama, the solutions adopted use the verticality of the buildings, which tend to develop in height rather than in planimetry. An example of all is the spread of “capsule hotels” in the eastern continent. Without reaching the maximum expression of this architectural trend, even in the cities of our country there are various examples of reduction to minimum spaces. Living in small spaces means being able to optimize the rooms in the best way, managing to fit the different functions and reducing the furniture to the essentials. The minimal style perfectly interprets this need, succeeded in giving an aesthetic value to the most essential interiors.  

THE CONTEXT

Integrated in a contemporary residential context focused on the shades of gray and green, the studio apartment in Corso San Gottardo is suitable for a space optimization project, because it is extrapolated from an existing apartment. In particular, it consists of a single room with small kitchenette and a mezzazine for the sleeping area, extracted from one of the main rooms of the old apartment. Being able to organize at the best the room without sacrificing comfort and aesthetic taste was the design challenge with which we interfaced to. The characteristic that allowed to reach the goal is the very wide height on the interior enhanced by suggestive exposed beams.

small spaces sofa and snack bar
entrance minimal apartment Milan

THE WORK

Taking advantage of the reduced spaces, it was possible to design the plan layout focused on a living area in visual contact with the small equipped kitchen with snack bar, and an elevated bedroom accessible through a service ladder. The kitchen is reduced to the essentials, but not for this reason is poorly equipped: in fact, it has a kitchenette with induction hobs of the minimum size, flanked by a built-in sink and container units in the remaining parts. A dividing wall with snack bar attached divides the kitchen from the living room, keeping at the same time the spaces visually open. This is also thanks to the presence fs the service windows, which creates a dynamic and contemporary cut in the room.  The surface used as a snack bar accommodates up to 3/4 people, and the shaped profile with a 45° cut is able to make it look more welcoming. The living room with a two-seated sofa leads to the upper level use as bedroom with a double bed and containing niches. The storage compartment is accessible as the mezzazine with a service ladder that leans against special rails. The mezzanine is back-lit by a linear profile capable of providing the correct illumination both the bedroom area above and the lower living room.

small spaces apartment Milan
kitchen apartment Milan
living room apartment Milan
double bedroom small spaces

SHAPES, COLOURS AND MATERIALS

The contemporaneity of the apartment is visible both in the choice of clean linear shapes and in the material’s one. In fact, Corian was chosen for the snack bar and the kitchen too. It is an extremely fashionable material nowadays due to its elegance reached with the uniform surfaces with hided joints. Made in the same light-shades, the kitchen furniture in textured white lacquered MDF refers itself to the idea of an essential but well-designed space.

bedroom access step-ladder

Functionality and small spaces transform this studio apartment into a reality of its own. It leads to becoming a love nest for its inhabitants, but it is also perfect to be used as a B&B for tourists and short stays.

A traditional villa surrounded by the citrus groves of Sicily

A traditional villa surrounded by the citrus groves of Sicily

On the island of lemons and oranges with their intense aroma, a traditional-style villa leaves room for modern classic furnishing with light and fresh tones.

San Tommaso villa outside citrus grove

THE CONTEXT

Surrounded by a citrus grove with intense scents and colours, Villa San Tommaso fits in perfect harmony with nature. Offering every kind of comfort, from the swimming pool to the jacuzzi, it looks from the outside as a rural construction in perfect symbiosis with the local tradition. It is exactly in this perspective that the interventions are inserted, trying to keep the true traditional scent intact, but adding a modern touch. The private residence spreads on two levels is also rented during the summer season by a high-level English rental company. A corner of paradise where the architectural structure fits in perfect harmony with nature. Like in most rural residences, the interior of the villa is characterized by dark wood interiors and light walls, with traditional terracotta floors that increase its authenticity in value. For this reason, the insertion of modern furniture has to relate with the already strongly existing elements. Do not make the scene heavier but instead try to lighten it, adding a touch of brightness and clarity. The design proposal mainly involved the kitchen, providing some furniture in the living room, but also touched the rooms on the upper floor.

 
San Tommaso villa outside table

LIVING ROOM

The essential and contemporary kitchen delicately inserts itself providing brightness and elegance. In fact, it consists of a corner structure that embrace the large window on the outside with which it relates to the surrounding. Below this, there are container drawers and storage units with recessed handles that simplify the shapes. The kitchen countertop carries on the corner on both sides becoming almost a real exposition element. At the adjacent wall, the suspended wall units are made up of door of the same width whose bevels create visual light lines. The back of the countertop in glossy lacobel gives further freshness and brightness. The large double-door design refrigerator is built into a customed design structure that also holds doors with internal shelves. The oak snack bar embraces the central pillar of the kitchen, giving a natural and contemporary touch. In the wall opposite the window, a full-height structure alternates doors with symmetrical drawers to accommodate dishes and pots but also food and drinks. At the centre of this, a recessed shelf whose back in glossy lacobel fits in style to the rest of the kitchen. The two recessed ovens with a practical height are symmetrically placed with respect to the latter. In the living room the traditional furnishing in treated dark wood are certainly the undisputed protagonists. However, there is no lack of rustic-chic design elements such as suspended lights. The furniture of the main room are designed in continuity with the traditional ones already present in the villa. This is the case, for example, of the bottom showcase illuminated along the side profiles. Certainly, to attract attention is the ancient stone crusher placed in the centre of the room.

 
traditional villa Sicily kitchen front view
traditional villa Sicily kitchen lateral view
traditional villa Sicily dining table
traditional villa Sicily kitchen view

BEDROOM

The bedrooms resume characteristics in common with the living room, such as the use of terracotta tiles which relates well to the wooden beams od the ceiling. The latter reflect the existing furniture in dark colours and polishing, reflecting the elegant rustic style of the traditional villa. The white walls create a striking contrast providing greater brightness and freshness to the environment. Even in this case, the designed elements have to necessarily relate to a highly visible stylistic settlement. Reason why, the headboards of the beds in the respective rooms change from each case to better relate to the context. In most cases they are also backlit to give further dynamism and brightness. They respond to a classic modern style with white wood strips combined with the bedside table, or essential contemporary style that enhances the  height of the room.

master bedroom villa Sicily side
master bedroom villa Sicily front light
 bedroom traditional villa modern classic
bedroom classic modern front
Sicilian villa bedroom with light
Sicilian villa wardrobe

A spring in OSB for the 2017 shop windows of Tiziana Fausti

A spring in OSB for the 2017 shop windows of Tiziana Fausti

The explosion of interest in the OSB has also reached the new set-up of the just concluded shop windows for Tiziana Fausti. An extremely versatile material that has fascinated the luxury store even to become the characterizing element of design for the display windows and clothing sector for 0-12 children on the upper floor.

windows OSB Fausti 2017
detail windows 01

THE MATERIAL

As a material that has always been used in the shipbuilding and construction sectors, the OSB has recently discovered a new success thanks to its particular texture. In fact, it consists of flakes of wood glued together with different orientation and it is certainly reckonable for its lively texture. Due to this characteristic, it distinguishes from chipboard panels by the larger size of the wood chips. Being a material with low economic cost and excellent technical performance, its traditional use relates to constructions. In fact, it has an excellent resistance to horizontal forces caused by wind and earthquakes. It therefore serves for bracing and in the stratifications of roofs. Besides, being available in panels of different sizes it has a particularly fast laying speeded. The reduced economic cost has favoured its wide use as with the similar chipboard’s one. Over the past few years, however, its aesthetic features have fascinated architects and interior designers who have increasingly incorporated it into their projects. The wide availability and the low cost, added to the speed of installation and the good resistance capacity, have meant the extrapolation of this material from its construction use to know new contexts. However, the increasing demand has sanctioned the growth of its sale cost. From a widely available economic element, he also began to know the retail sector with the consequently higher prices.

 
back window OSB Fausti 2017
Tiziana Fausti single window OSB 01
inside window Fausti 02
inside window Fausti 03
Tiziana Fausti shop windows OSB
Tiziana Fausti single window OSB 02

THE PROJECT FOR TIZIANA FAUSTI

The OSB has also fascinated luxury retail, which has inserted the “new” material into its store as a characterizing element for aesthetics and practicality. An interpretation that extrapolated it from its industrial context to take on a more chic and refined connotation. Even the Tiziana Fausti luxury store in Bergamo has chosen this material for the set-up of the spring shop displays. It is the protagonist able to be recognized for style without however diverting attention to the products shown. The latter seem instead valued for shapes and colours, as if they naturally stood out among the visual uniformity of the background OSB. Volumes of different sizes constitute the basic unit, which, depending on aggregations or detachment, create the fundamental visual dynamism for each shop display. The use of covering panels also for the back walls and for the floor, creates suggestive plays of depth. But not only that, the concept of the project made in collaboration with the architectural studio Marco Costanzi Architects, has also involved the setting up of the children’s department on the upper floor. This flanks the corners of Dolce & Gabbana, Yves Saint Laurent, Chloè and Stella Mc Cartney (if you want to look around these corners and learn more about their structure click here). OBS panels also become the perfect backdrop for enhancing clothing for children 0-12 years, covering the back wall and creating dynamic shapes in the flooring. It also enrich the exhibition space with dynamic volumes. In this way, the room is characterised by a fresh and young imprint, with an industrial-chic impact that does not do without elegance and refinement. Consistently inserted, to give further suggestions of freshness and spontaneity, we also find some small citrus plants that give a touch of colour and naturalness.

 
children department set-up OSB 01
children department set-up 02
children department OSB set-up 03
children department set-up OSB 02
children department set-up OSB 03
children department set-up 04
children department set-up 05

New corners incoming for the Tiziana Fausti luxury store

New corners incoming for the Tiziana Fausti luxury store

After the success of the single-brand corners included in the 2015 set-up, one year later Tiziana Fausti’s luxury store widens its boundaries to host four new brands.

2016 new corners

The provision of the exhibition layout design by the architect Marco Costanzi in August 2015 was a great success especially regarding the white boxes of the corners located on the back wall. (if you missed the article, click here) For this reason, the multibrand Tiziana Fausti wanted to expand its woman’s commercial space by acquiring a new wing of the historic building previously occupied by the Ciao restaurant chain. The goal is primarily to add four new single-brand corners with the same approach as the existing ones. To achieve this, it was decided to demolish a wall near the lift and set up new white boxes. THE NEW CORNERS Assigned to the luxury brands of Dolce & Gabbana, Yves Saint Laurent, Chloè and Stella Mc Cartney, they all respond to the same external approach. Full height black waxed iron panels with laser-cut and blacklit logo. For the internal layout, as in the previous white boxes, we set-up internal lighting with directional spots, air conditioning and any electrical outlets. In the event that the furniture provided by individual brands in accordance with their visual identity have illuminated display cases, it is necessary to provide wall-mounted electrical outlets in order to prepare them for attachment. For the air conditioning, recessed ducts have boon arranged in the false ceiling which can sometimes be changed depending on the need. This is the case of the Dolce & Gabbana corner, whose air conditioning system renounces the ducts preferring shaped shells along the perimeter, Even the side walls and the ceilings have to be structured in order to possibly support the weight of internal coverings. Once again, the corner of Dolce & Gabbana offers an excellent example with the veined black marble covering. The preparation and the internal project of the corners are entrusted to the visual designers of the respective brands. Here are some photos work in progress N.B. Photos of the completed corners have been included after the inauguration on 9th September 2016.

 
WIP corner D&G
Modulor new corner DG
Modulor DG zoom 01
Modulor DG zoom 02
WIP Stella Mc Cartney 2016
New corner 2016 Stella Mc Cartney
corner Stella zoom 01
corner Stella zoom 02
corner Stella zoom 03
Modulor new corner YSL
Modulor YSL zoom 01
Modulor YSL zoom 02
Nuovi corner 2016 Chloè
Corner Chloè zoom 01

Total white kitchen in a modern classic setting

Total white kitchen in a modern classic setting

The renovation of this classic modern style apartment has introduced a total white contemporary kitchen. Located in centre of Bergamo, this apartment is characterized by large ceilings and classic modern style pf fixtures. White wood and decorative strips characterize the large window and glass doors. The closing strips of false ceiling added during the renovation, delimit the profile and they are matched to the fixtures. The walls are painted in a classic medium gray, on which stand out the shaped decorative profiles with the classic section. Its height is set on 120 cm.  Placing in a modern classic context, the design choice was to provide for an essential kitchen with a contemporary style able to prove freshness to the interior.

THE KITCHEN

A total white kitchen that chooses Corian as the undisputed protagonist for the kitchen surface which naturally transforms itself into a snack bar surface. The shape of the kitchen, which is narrow but very long, allows the development of the furniture on one side, leaving the opposite one free for the insertion of a small service table and a free-standing design refrigerator. Made of an upper wall unit block and a lower container volumes with drawers, it is certainly the void created between that to attract attention. This holds the hob with gas burners, an extremely clean recessed sink at the corner and a back wall covering whit ceramic tiles. The latter, already present in the house, have been painted in white and the lighting hidden in the wall units creates plays of lively reflections. The painting of the walls is in this case white, creating an elegant contrast whit the floor of the whole house made in dark gress. Taking advantage of the corner position of the sink with its large design tap, the depth of the lower cabinet is used to insert basket containing products for cleaning and waste collection. This is a element rated very positively for its functionality by the inhabitants of the house. The countertop then continues to the back of the kitchen, turning into a surface used as snack bar with shelves above it. In front of this part there are containment niches with full-height doors that hide the department of laundry and closet. A solution that uses the empty spaces of the house to make up for the lack of a laundry and storage room.  It’s a common problem in many apartments, that, although equipped with a large floor plan, do not have a fundamentally practical storage room.

 
contemporary total white kitchen
basket door contemporary kitchen Modulor
snack bar contemporary kitchen Modulor
Corian sink total white kitchen
contemporary total white kitchen modern context