ANTONELLI is a spatial renovation project that combines formal simplicity with a strong expressive identity. The intervention concerns a 1960s apartment of approximately 80 square meters, originally laid out as a three-room flat with an eat-in kitchen and two bedrooms, one of which was typically used as a living room.
The client did not need a second bedroom but wanted to connect the kitchen and living area, in line with contemporary living habits where cooking and conviviality are increasingly intertwined. The design response was a complete rethinking of the floor plan.
The former dining area with a small kitchen, facing the internal courtyard, was transformed into the new bedroom. The two rooms facing the street were joined together to create a large, bright, and airy living space, where the kitchen and bookshelf face each other and become the focal elements. These two colorful volumes are set within a deliberately neutral and calming context.
The living area now benefits from a double view over a public green space, enhanced by two large French doors that bring elegance and visual depth to the environment. Removing the old hallway, nearly 8 square meters of unused space, made it possible to introduce a laundry/storage area and a separate pantry. This allowed the kitchen wall to remain free of overhead cabinets, preserving its linearity and architectural clarity.
In the new bedroom, where the former kitchenette was located, a small ceramic workshop was created — a personal passion of the client.
The bathroom, kept in its original position, was reorganized with an essential layout. The flooring is made of cocciopesto, a completely natural and non-toxic material, whose tone recalls the original flooring that was removed due to system upgrades.
The entrance, hallway, bathroom, and bedroom all include custom carpentry elements, designed to make use of niches and recesses as wardrobes, cabinets, bathroom storage, and worktops for the bedroom’s workshop.
The entire apartment features a warm color palette, dominated by light hemp-colored walls that give the spaces a sense of calm and natural neutrality, without sacrificing formal coherence. Some original elements, initially hidden, such as the lowered concrete beam in the entrance, were rediscovered and highlighted.
