Trait d'Union
Location Milan, IT
Type Apartment Renovation and Interior Design
Area approx. 150 sqm
Status Completed
Construction Company Edilservizi Fumagalli
Custom-made furniture Andrea Quintavalla
Photographer arch. Tommaso Meraviglia
In a 1960s building, in the lively Città Studi district, this small apartment—already inhabited for years by a young family—was completely redesigned and renovated to meet the evolving needs of its residents.
The spaces were rethought to organise the entire living area in a more fluid layout, opening it up toward the large, greenery-filled terrace, which the family enjoys for much of the year.
The living area was rebalanced in proportion and the apartment now benefits from a clear separation between the day and night zones: the boundary between the two is distinctly marked by a large oak door that slides within the wall
The kitchen has been relocated near the large, greenery-filled terrace — a true living space of the apartment, enjoyed and lived in for many months of the year. The space is narrow and long, bounded on both long sides by two non-modifiable walls: the perimeter wall and the stairwell boundary wall. For this reason, the entire functional area of the kitchen has been concentrated along these sides. A niche housing the fridge column and pantry acts as a divider from the living room: there are no doors, allowing light to flow freely and people to move comfortably between indoors and outdoors.
The custom-designed and made furnishings, having to respond on the one hand to a precise request for large storage space and on the other to deal with limited space, were designed as simple volumes integrated into the spaces, almost to disappear and all lacquered in white with small oak inserts.
Furthermore, an attempt was made to create small architectures that characterize the spaces and connect the various living functions. For example, the living area is dominated by a wall of containers, partly closed and partly open, which enters the kitchen space overlooking the large terrace and transforms into a real kitchen; in the master bedroom, however, the large wardrobe, embracing the entrance door, hides various types of storage and finally in the little girl's bedroom the little space available was resolved with a raised bed structure that becomes a castle and playground.
In this now contemporary and minimalist space, selected furnishings and lighting elements of Scandinavian design stand out.
A series of custom storage elements unfolds throughout the different rooms, creating small architectural features that give character and identity to the spaces while simultaneously fulfilling a variety of everyday living functions. Their continuous presence helps define the interiors, shaping transitions, framing views, and providing practical solutions for storage, display, and organisation.