Bunk Beds and Multifunctional Kids’ Room

by Alice | Jan 17, 2025 | IN THE WORLD OF DESIGN, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRIVATE APARTMENT, PRODUCT DESIGN, SLEEPING AREA, STYLE TIPS

When space at home feels limited and needs are constantly growing, creative design can turn a simple kids’ room into a multifunctional, welcoming environment, perfect for children. This project showcases how two equipped bunk beds can become the centerpiece of an optimized kids’ room, complete with vibrant colors and space-saving solutions.

The Challenge of Space: Harmonizing Kids’ Room and Storage

In a three-room apartment with diverse spatial needs, the second bedroom was initially designed with cabinetry to support the household. However, the arrival of two young daughters required a complete redesign of the space, transforming it into a kids’ room capable of housing their beds, toys, and a study corner, without sacrificing its original functionality. This transformation was not only aesthetic but also practical, turning the new room into a prime example of how to creatively manage space while meeting the growing needs of a family.

From custom Montessori-style small beds, the organization evolved into a thoughtfully structured kids’ room.

Bunk Beds: Multifunctional and Storage-Friendly Solutions

The bunk beds are the focal point of the project, utilizing every available inch. These are not merely offset stacked beds but a multifunctional structure offering ample storage space alongside comfort for the children. The staircase leading to the upper bunk doubles as a series of storage drawers, with the lower steps being deeper to accommodate larger items like bulky toys.

The lower bunk includes two pull-out drawers that take advantage of the full depth of the bed frame, perfect for storing stuffed animals, boxes, and more. Additionally, an asymmetrical bookshelf, about 40 cm deep, is nestled in the offset section, providing organized storage for books of varying sizes. The upper bunk is equipped with open shelves near the headboard, functioning as convenient storage or a nightstand for items the children want within reach during rest times.

Colors and Atmosphere: A Playful, Personalized Kids’ Room

Colors play a crucial role in making the kids’ room inviting and lively. The bright green of the protective barrier echoes the jungle-themed mural on the back wall and matches the existing cabinetry. This shade, combined with two tones of pink—one bold and the other softer—creates a cheerful and imaginative environment perfect for sparking creativity in the little ones.

Details like the rounded shapes of the barrier and the shelf ends add to the room’s harmonious and safe design, ensuring a balance between aesthetics and functionality.

Study Zone and Storage: Functionality for the Whole Family

The available space was maximized by creating a small study zone between the sleeping area and the storage closet. A foldable, green, rounded work surface can be set up when needed, transforming into a handy desk for homework or creative activities. When not in use, the table easily folds back, freeing up the area.

Adjacent to the study zone is a discreet yet accessible storage area. This hidden compartment keeps essential household items, such as the vacuum cleaner and ironing board, neatly tucked away.

Stylish and Comfortable Details

Every detail in the room was carefully crafted to ensure style, comfort, and practicality. The upper bunk’s protective barrier, inspired by the shape of leaves, ties in with the natural theme of the mural. Similarly, the sliding door is more than just a closure—it features a built-in coat hanger for the kids and a LED strip that effectively illuminates the entire room, with a focus on the study area.

Each bed also includes a strategically placed USB port, perfect for connecting reading lamps or electronic devices, adding a modern and practical touch.

For easier bed linen changes on the upper bunk, the protective barrier features a tilting mechanism. Durable hinges are embedded in the bed base and the barrier, enabling it to fold down easily using a pin-opening system, ensuring hassle-free access to the mattress.

Additional child-friendly details include safety gates that provide an extra layer of protection, making the space secure and suitable for young explorers.

Conclusion

Thanks to a bespoke design, this multifunctional kids’ room has become a delightful retreat for the children, blending aesthetics, practicality, and space optimization. The bunk beds and versatile furnishings have transformed a small room into a world tailored to the needs and dreams of its little inhabitants.

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Vintage Reflections: A Journey into the Interior Design of an Apartment in Milan

by Alice | Feb 16, 2024 | KITCHEN, LIVING AREA, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRIVATE APARTMENT

In the bustling heart of Milan, architect Lorenzo Visioli has breathed life into an apartment that seamlessly blends vintage charm with modernity through the skillful use of refined materials and details. Let’s explore how the soft reflections and captivating mirrors play a central role in this unique space that we’ve had the pleasure to furnish.

ENTRANCE

The entrance warmly welcomes guests with a floor covered in light gray mortar, illuminating a relatively narrow corridor. A service cabinet entirely clad in mirrors on one side visually expands this confined space, creating an effect of spaciousness and brightness. Inside the cabinet, shelves and hanging space add functionality without compromising style.

Here’s another example of a mirror-clad cabinet welcoming at the entrance.

KITCHEN CORNER

The kitchen, the heart of the home, embodies the fusion of style and functionality. Structured in a niche divided into two parts, with an equipped base and a frontal island, it stands out for the absence of conventional wall cabinets. In their place, vintage lamps in the style of “The Great Gatsby” illuminate the polished steel worktop, creating suggestive reflections that interact with the surrounding elements. The kitchen base, in a dark and clean tone, features concealed handles.

A touch of originality is introduced by the niche beside the window, transformed into an open bar with crystal shelves hosting selected spirits. The presence of undulated glass, now a major trend, on each side reflects bottles and liquids, adding a touch of color. Internal LED lights make this element even more captivating when switched on.

FUNCTIONAL STORAGE

A key element of functionality and discretion is the integrated storage in the bathroom, where a washer and dryer find their place alongside all necessary household tools. Two tall, lacquered doors, matching the wall color, fold onto themselves, creating a visual effect that imparts continuity and harmony to the surrounding environment. This approach not only optimizes the available space but also adds a touch of sophistication to the overall design, thanks to slim handles and meticulous finishes.

LIVING AREA

A delicate arch connects the entrance to the living and kitchen areas, introducing a sense of softness while emphasizing the importance of access. The flooring transitions from industrial mortar to vintage parquet, laid in three different patterns to enliven the pace. Refined details, such as reflections playing on materials and shapes, contribute to creating a dynamic and enveloping ambiance.

Here’s another example where reflective materials play a significant role in the project.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, this vintage-inspired project distinguishes itself through the reflections generated by carefully chosen materials. Each element, from the luminous mirrors to the reflective surfaces, contributes to amplifying the spatial sense and creating a unique dynamism. A perfect blend of past and present, transforming living into an exquisite and timeless experience.

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When a white kitchen with an island becomes a functional element of a youthful two-room apartment

by Giulia | Jul 14, 2022 | KITCHEN, LIVING AREA, PRIVATE APARTMENT, SLEEPING AREA, STYLE TIPS

In the centre of Milan, a youthful flat is spread over two levels, welcoming a white kitchen with a functional island in the centre. On the upper floor, the elegance of total white is accompanied by a niche wardrobe with mirrored doors that amplify the perception of the sleeping area. Practical elements with linear and elegant aesthetics that define the look of the entire flat. Let’s discover together this realisation designed by architect Stefano Belotti!

A white central island dominates the kitchen area

Upon entering the flat, with its small but practical dimensions, the view is projected onto the kitchen, the layout of which makes full use of the available height with storage compartments. Acting as a visual filter, but at the same time as a functional element for the cooking area, is the central island that echoes the white aesthetics of the kitchen.

The worktop, in matt white Corian, becomes not only a work surface, but also a convenient snack top for aperitifs and quick meals.
In this respect, the folding mechanism that allows the (future) service stools to be concealed plays a key role.
The front closure panels, in fact, rotate sideways to then be incorporated into the main structure and almost completely disappear.

white kitchen with island oven combination column

white kitchen with island wall units integrated lighting

detail Corian worktop integrated basin aluminium mixer

white kitchen with combined oven island hidden door laundry area

The volume of the island consists of front-extension doors with internal drawers of different heights.
A solution that has now become predominant in the recently concluded edition of the Salone del Mobile, as well as clearly recognisable in previous editions.
The main advantage is certainly the more elegant and minimal aesthetics, in which horizontal cuts resulting from the division into drawers are eliminated in favour of a single door.

detail of internal drawers in white lacquered kitchen with island

From the wall unit to the laundry corner: functionality marries total white aesthetics

The adjoining wall unit is made up of multi-level volumetric plays.
The service columns, incorporating the built-in refrigerator on one side and the combi-oven to its right, are accompanied by compartments with hinged doors that extend across the entire upper part of the kitchen.
On the same depth level, matt lacquered doors with a dishwasher in the central area and internal shelves in the surrounding compartments.
The central area, on the other hand, is characterised by a break-out with worktop and sink, upper wall units with vertical partitioning and built-in lighting with a smaller depth.

To ensure the best functional configuration, the side wall to the kitchen and the central island accommodates a white lacquered door that covers the entire height of the room.
This conceals inside the laundry area with a washing machine and tumble dryer with columns accompanied by practical shelves for cleaning products.

The linear aesthetics are emphasised both in the choice of lighting, pendant above the white central island and LED strip lighting in the back wall of the kitchen, and also in the joining chain between the Corian top and doors below.
The material detachment through an aluminium profile becomes the horizontal reading element both for the back wall, joining the two side ends, and embracing the central island with kitchenette.

white kitchen with laundry corner island

White kitchen with island pull-out front drawer doors

A wardrobe with mirrored doors embellishes the sleeping area

On the upper floor, accessible via a white painted spiral staircase, a wardrobe with six mirror-covered doors dominates.
The rhythmic vertical division is interrupted by a single horizontal cut at the top, creating an interesting geometric subdivision in the overall aesthetics. The choice of mirrored doors on the one hand amplifies the brightness and perception of the room and at the same time enhances the overall aesthetics.

The division into six doors is reflected internally in a symmetrical composition with double central compartments accompanied by two single compartments at the ends.
Compartments with hanging tubes are favoured, but there are also internal drawers and adjustable shelves for better organisation of clothing.

If for the lower level the kitchen with central island favours a uniform white aesthetic, the sleeping area, on the other hand, marries contrasting aesthetics.
The bright exterior of the mirrored doors is in fact contrasted by the elegance of a matt black whole on which the elegant chrome hanging tubes can be seen.

wardrobe mirror doors dark laminate interior drawers

Niche wardrobe with dark interior mirror doors

detail mirror cabinet doors interior lighting

detail of mirrored wardrobe doors in niche

The choice of a total white kitchen is always a contemporary and elegant solution. Its simplicity makes it easily adaptable to the surrounding context, whether it has a retro feel, as in this example, or contemporary pop, as in this realisation. It can also be combined with natural wood elements, such as chopping boards and snack tops, thus adding a hint of warmth, here’s an example! Or exploit plays of opacity and shine through different materials, making the room look fresh and bright, perfect for seaside homes!

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A bespoke wardrobe in the attic: sloping doors and large bookcases

by Giulia | Nov 11, 2021 | LIVING AREA, LIVING THE HOUSE, PRIVATE APARTMENT

To make the most of the sloping ceiling of this attic, a large custom-made wardrobe is mixed between a functional element and a large bookcase. A hybrid furniture, usable internally for the seasonable wardrobe change, but linear in aesthetics to create a suggestive and small reading hall for our little client Francesco.

bespoke wardrobe attic sloping ceiling bookcase in front of sloping doors

Equip an attic with sloped ceiling with a custom-made wardrobe

The attic is the project environment with great aesthetic potential but with strong architectural design constraints.
The presence of a sloping roof creates different usability areas imposed by the different internal heights of the room.
In this case, the architectural conformation of the attic, with a narrow and long plan with access to the center of the ridge, ideally divides the room into two different environments.
In one of these two the large custom-made wardrobe stands, able to exploit even the lowest corner of the attic with a bookcase in the niche.

To ensure that the sloping cut doors are not obstructed in the opening direction by the attic ceiling, it is necessary to provide single doors with fastening on the longer side. This also allows an internal division with shelves marked by single and not double modules as in a traditional wardrobe.
The backs of the bookcase are shaped in the same way in order to respect the inclination of the ceiling and optimize the overall dimensions.

To explore the theme of rooms with sloping ceilings, here are these two attics: one in a contemporary style with antique elements and the other in a modern style. To these is also added this mezzanine equipped with wardrobe and bookcase for a functional study area.

bespoke wardrobe attic sloping ceiling front bookcase

interior hanger wardrobe custom attic season change

inside wardrobe change of house linen season

bespoke wardrobe attic sloping ceiling side bookcase

internal shelves bilaminate wardrobe made to measure attic change of season

A reading corner for our most demanding small customers

Francesco is our little client with very clear needs. If mom Laura is kindly allowed to use the inside wardrobe for the seasonable wardrobe change and household linen, the niche-bookcase must be able to accommodate books and dinosaurs divided by specific themes and colors.
The shaped shoulders accommodate fixed shelves at different heights, creating a lively but elegant visual rhythm.

Even the fresh and elegant tone of the white bilaminate creates a luminous reading area in which a delicate Scandinavian design coffee table finds space.
To take advantage of the depth of the wardrobe, a second bookcase is grafted onto the side shoulder, also visually closing the furniture with a characterizing detail. The same solution was also adapted in this cerulean blue kitchen in modern style.
In this case, the shelves are positioned at a greater height so that they can also accommodate more bulky folders and books.
The reading corner is thus embraced by the multifunctional furniture that from a simple wardrobe serving an attic it also becomes a custom-made bookcase.

reading corner bookcase in niche shelves fixed height

bookcase detail with fixed door and white bilaminate shelves

detail of white bilaminate bookcase shelves

bookcase detail in front of the wardrobe

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Renewed classic furniture with contemporary kitchen

by Alice | Oct 12, 2021 | IN THE WORLD OF DESIGN, KITCHEN, LIVING AREA, PRIVATE APARTMENT, SLEEPING AREA, STYLE TIPS

The classic style furnishings of this villa built about thirty years ago rediscovers its eternal charm even after many years.
To rejuvenate it and make it current, a contemporary style kitchen with essential lines has been added. The harmonious combination of the two styles refreshes the rooms and softens the features of the predominant style.

Classical furniture between past and present

The passage of time and the succession of different historical periods has allowed a wide development of furnishing styles. Over the course of history these have known their maximum expression with distinct characters, while in the contemporary era they have been reinterpreted, giving life to continuously updated variants.

This house, built between the late eighties and early nineties, responds to a classic style at the time very popular among villas and elegant apartments. Revived today, it discovers its contemporary meaning with an elegant kitchen with essential lines. The warm tones of the lacquers soften the design lines of these interiors, in perfect harmony with contemporary trends.

classic style entrance details arch moldings

detail of the villa entrance light blades

The living area in classic style

The classic furnishings already develop in the entrance area with moldings that emphasize the architectural lines of this villa.
On the left, an arch with shaped profiles marks the entrance to the living area, flanked by a pair of blades of light that allow a glimpse of the large interior living room.
The profile of the internal shelves, slightly recessed, is a shrewdness that makes the aesthetic impact of the element lighter, recalling the characteristics of the classic style.
The painting of the walls in a warm slightly cloudy tone acts as a leitmotif in the different rooms, enhancing the light furnishings.

The living room has a central solid wood main table matched with other antiques that give elegance and prestige.
Among these, the large damask carpet, the adjacent wall piano and the Arco lamp by Castiglioni, a timeless design icon.
Low cabinets, honeycomb radiator covers and niche bookcases with recurring aesthetic characteristics accompany them. Moldings, doors decorated with tone-on-tone knockouts and brass knobs are in perfect classic style.
The chosen color of a light cream makes the interiors elegant, softening their features.

bookcase in niche details classic furnishings in the living area

details equipped windows bookshelves wooden furniture

living room furniture classic niche bookcase

front molded drawers in classic style, tone-on-tone

bookcase niche living room classic furniture shelves

From the equipped corridors to the sleeping area

To anticipate the sleeping area, the corridors and passageways are equipped with full-height service wardrobes. These reproduce the characterizing lines of classic style furnishings, enriched with decorative floral motifs in a slight chromatic contrast.
The warm tone of the walls is echoed by the knock-out of the doors in a delicate tone-on-tone play. Internally, shelves and hangers alternate to make the most of the environments.

In the sleeping area, the bedroom uses a double-sided wardrobe that fits into the dividing wall between the sleeping area and the study corner, now equipped for distance learning. A structure with delicate warm tones which, combined with the light blue walls, is even brighter and fresher. Classic-style doors accommodate internal shelves and hangers, while in the terminal part they incorporate open compartments for small objects.
At the front, the equipped wall alternates shelves with wall units with molded doors, creating a dynamic visual rhythm. In the lower part there is a desk with a chest of drawers incorporated into the structure.

detail decoration doors classic style furniture

classic style wardrobes decorated cream colored doors

The master bedroom stands out for its contemporary elegance that only delicately hints at the classic tones of the remaining rooms. The caramel-colored padded headboard of the large double bed rests on the rear structure equipped with a front day compartment and bookcases along the side shoulders. To recall the classic style of the furniture is the linear aesthetic of the back wall with panels spaced at a fixed distance.
On both sides of the bed there is the access to the walk-in closet, contemporary in its design lines but with light tones that reflect the colors of the remaining furnishings.

cream colored shaped kitchen lacobel wall units

walk-in closet retro bed classic contemporary style

niche bookcase detail with headboard thickness

detail handles hollow linen drawers walk-in closet rear bed

internal walk-in closet chest of drawers hanging mirror

The introduction of the contemporary style through the refurbishment of the kitchen

The timeless beauty of classic furniture, rediscovered even today, is confronted with the desire to renovate the interiors.
In terms of functionality and typology, the kitchen is the environment that best lends itself to a stylistic change with a contemporary flavor. Here then, after simplifying the existing doors with a linear aesthetic, this room also fits harmoniously into the existing complex.
A touch of lightness that balances the stylistic imprint of the villa.

Preserving the top and the back surface of the terracotta kitchen with brick-colored geometric decorations, the refurbishment involved doors and front drawers of both the base units and the upper wall units. Recessed handles with a linear aesthetic and matt lacquer in full contemporary style are spread over the entire kitchen and the volume of the peninsula used as a snack bar placed at the front.
The hood, previously chosen as a “design” type, was inserted in a built-in structure entirely covered in white Lacobel, capable of giving brightness to the environment.
Appliances are also being renovated, including the built-in refrigerator and the pair of Smeg column ovens.

tubular horizontal hangers optimize coats space

contemporary style kitchen top snack bar red stools

modern classic style kitchen renovation on the peninsula side snack bar

column ovens smeg contemporary kitchen drawers hollow handles

Conclusions: customize the classic furniture

The classic style, which today is witnessing a rediscovery, is easily combined with the essentiality of the contemporary style, creating an interesting combination. Restoring the stylistic balance of the interiors can also mean finding the right combinations between different styles, giving a decisive impression to the house.
To learn more, another example of a house with contemporary style and classic kitchen.

← Milan Design Week 2021: between the new Supersalone format and the fuorisalone districts. A bespoke wardrobe in the attic: sloping doors and large bookcases →

Bunk Beds and Multifunctional Kids’ Room

The Challenge of Space: Harmonizing Kids’ Room and Storage

Bunk Beds: Multifunctional and Storage-Friendly Solutions

Colors and Atmosphere: A Playful, Personalized Kids’ Room