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    House of Shila designs industrial yet sultry interiors for Mona Athens hotel

    The ancient Acropolis of Athens is in full view from the rooftop of this boutique hotel, which design studio House of Shila has housed in a former factory building.

    Mona Athens is located in the city’s lively Psirri district, within an eight-storey 1950s building that once served as a textile factory.
    The Mona Athens lobby features an eclectic mix of furniture and decorHouse of Shila, led by New York-based entrepreneur Shai Antebi and Greek photographer and creative director Eftihia Stefanidi, chose to keep as much of the building’s bones as possible when converting it into a 20-key hotel.
    This meant retaining its original dramatic iron staircase, terrazzo flooring, metal window frames and marble facade.
    The spilt-level communal space houses a lounge and cafe”We designed Mona with great respect for the building’s 1950s architecture,” said Stefanidi.

    “The structure itself remains unchanged, revealing 70 years of history. Emphasis was given to preserving original features.”
    House of Shila retained as many of the building’s original details as possibleLayering over industrial materials like exposed concrete and weathering steel, the team added wooden furniture and textured fabrics to bring warmth and tactility to the spaces throughout.
    Accessed from the street, the 200-square-metre split-level lobby serves as a lounge and a cafe that can host pop-up events and installations.
    A variety of textured materials are layered over the building’s industrial bonesAn eclectic mix of furniture and decor populate the space, which can be opened to the outside via full-height folding glass doors.
    The hotel’s six different room categories range from intimate rooms of around 16 to 20 square metres all the way up to the 55-square-metre penthouses and Mona’s Suite, with some of the larger rooms providing access to private balconies and patios.
    Wash areas are open to the sleeping quarters in many of the roomsAll feature a similar sultry-meets-industrial aesthetic, which House of Shila compares to a “sensual refuge”, characterised by curtains of sheer cotton and richly-coloured velvet, low minimalist beds, custom-knitted carpets and soft lighting from bespoke fixtures.
    In the majority of the guest rooms, the washing areas are open to the sleeping quarters – with separate water closets for privacy – and some feature comfy lounge seating.
    Larger suites have access to porches, balconies and patiosWhite freestanding Corian bathtubs and industrial-style rain showers are shrouded by translucent curtains, creating a “certain balance of comfort and drama”, according to the design studio.
    The open rooftop offers a direct view of the Parthenon and other structures atop the Acropolis, the UNESCO-listed epicentre of Ancient Greece, while the tourist entrance to the site is a 15-minute walk from the hotel.

    Raw concrete penthouse and event space created inside former Athens warehouse

    Reserved for Mona Athens guests and members, this outdoor space includes a long glass-and-metal communal table, cushioned sofas, outdoor showers, lush planting and a bar that serves cocktails and “eclectic fare” with ingredients sourced from the local food market.
    There’s also a speakeasy venue in the basement, where pop-up exhibitions and private events can take place.
    Freestanding Corian bathtubs are set against weathering steelAll of the decorative items in the rooms are available for guests to purchase, from the organic cotton bedsheets to the ceramic coffee cups.
    Antebi’s background is in real estate development while Stefanidi was previously the creative director for immersive entertainment company Secret Cinema.
    The rooftop is reserved for hotel guests and membersThe duo founded House of Shila after working together on their first hospitality project Shila – another boutique hotel-cum-arts venue in Athens’ Kolonaki neighbourhood.
    Once a quick stopover for tourists on the way to the Greek islands, the capital is becoming a popular destination for city breaks in its own right, thanks to its rich history, growing culinary scene, year-round fair weather and relative affordability.
    A prime view of the Acropolis can be enjoyed from the roofThe owner of Carwan Gallery described Athens as “the new Berlin” when the contemporary design gallery relocated there from Beirut in 2020.
    Several boutique hotels have opened or undergone renovation in the downtown area over the past few years, including the neo-modernist Perianth Hotel and the Evripidis Hotel, which received a new rooftop bar and breakfast room.
    The photography is by Ana Santl.

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    Capella hotel takes over former government building in Sydney

    Architecture firm Make and interior design practice BAR Studio have converted Sydney’s heritage-listed Department of Education building into the latest outpost from Capella Hotels.

    The adaptive reuse project involved adding a modern extension with curved glass corners to the building’s roof, set back from its sandstone facade to respect the original Edwardian Baroque architecture.
    With these four additional floors, the building now measures eleven storeys high and houses 192 guest rooms alongside bars, restaurants and a 20-metre swimming pool that occupies the former sixth-floor gallery.
    Sydney’s Department of Education building was converted into a Capella hotelSince the Department of Education was constructed in Sydney’s historic Sandstone Precinct in 1912, its interior had been compromised with countless ad-hoc changes, according to Make.
    The studio worked to restore the sense of grandeur envisioned by the original architect George McRae, for example by reinstating the internal garden courtyard on the ground floor.

    “Stitching together the existing Edwardian Baroque-style structure with a new contemporary layer of architecture is one of many things that makes this landmark project stand out as a hotel,” Make designer Michelle Evans told Dezeen.
    It now houses 192 guest rooms and restaurants including Brasseries 1930″Capella Sydney has been a joy to work on, as it builds on our growing portfolio of reusing and adapting existing and heritage buildings,” she added.
    Picking up the baton from Make, hospitality design firm BAR Studio was tasked with creating luxurious yet contemporary interiors for the hotel that work seamlessly with the history of the building.
    “The heritage building that houses Capella Sydney provided us with the underpinning for the interior design,” said co-founder Stewart Robertson.
    A swimming pool occupies the building’s sixth-floor galleryWhile the building’s exterior was largely intact, only a few areas of historical significance remained inside.
    Some of these spaces offered incredible opportunities for reinvention, such as the gallery on the former top floor, which has become the Auriga spa and pool.
    Meanwhile, references to the original steel-framed windows were incorporated into the interiors via a recurring motif of framed forms.

    Make completes dramatic arched link for Chadstone shopping centre

    Steel in black and bronze finishes was used throughout the building to frame doors, windows and screens, making a subtle reference to the district’s origins in the age of industry.
    This serves the practical purpose of delineating and dividing spaces but also brings a restrained form of embellishment, Robertson said.
    “We’ve used framing techniques to create separation but also to build an organic connection between the public spaces,” he explained.
    “We wanted the colour and finish to feel appropriate to the original era but also for these elements to read as new and sophisticated insertions.”
    The same floor also houses a spaA palette of natural materials brings a sense of subtle luxury to the bedrooms and communal spaces.
    Steel was used alongside honed marble, sandblasted travertine, natural wall coverings and light and dark timber. This approach enables the heritage features as well as the art and objects to become the focal points.
    The colour palette, too, is simple and neutral, taking its cues from the material palette with stone-coloured walls and tan leather upholstery.
    Each treatment room sits under a one of the original roof lanterns”The neutral base palette of cream stone and dark and light timber integrates with the existing architectural and design elements but sets a warm and soothing mood, creating a real sanctuary from the surrounding city,” explained Robertson.
    In keeping with the light touch of the new architectural interventions, much of the furniture draws on the concept of campaign furniture – traditionally made for military campaigns and therefore easy to transport.
    “These portable and ingenious pieces bring the comforts of home to remote places,” said Robertson.
    A recurring motif of framed forms features throughout the hotel’s interiorsOther Capella hotels include the Norman Foster-designed Capella Resort – set on an island off the coast of Singapore – and the Capella Sanya, which won the 2020 AHEAD Asia award for best landscaping and outdoor spaces.
    The photography is by Timothy Kay.

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    Hollie Bowden converts London pub into pared-back jewellery showroom

    Lime-washed walls meet aluminium display fixtures in this minimalist studio and showroom that designer Hollie Bowden has devised for London brand Completedworks.

    Set over two floors of a former pub in Marylebone, it provides space for Completedworks to design and display its jewellery and ceramics, as well as to host an array of craft-focused classes.
    Hollie Bowden has designed a studio and showroom for CompletedworksThe brand was established in 2013 and up until now, has largely been sold via high-end department stores such as Dover Street Market and Liberty. But founder Anna Jewsbury felt it was time for Completedworks to have its own brick-and-mortar space.
    “We increasingly had clients asking to come and see our pieces in person but felt that we didn’t have a space that felt considered and reflected our vision,” she said. “We wanted people to be able to enter our world and get to know us, and for us to get to know them.”
    Display shelving was crafted from lustrous aluminiumFor the design of the showroom, Jewsbury worked with London-based designer Hollie Bowden, who naturally looked to the brand’s jewellery for inspiration.

    This can be seen for example in the hammered-metal door handles that appear throughout the studio and directly reference the creased design of the gold Cohesion earrings.
    A modular display system in the showroom is clad in lilac linen”[Completedworks] is known for the beauty of the textural surfaces and flowing almost baroque forms,” Bowden explained. “We developed a display language that played off that, with minimal details and strict lines.”
    Almost every surface throughout the studio is washed in beige-toned lime paint, with only a few slivers of the original brick walls and a worn metal column left exposed near the central staircase.

    Hollie Bowden channels the ambience of dimly lit gentlemen’s clubs for London office

    Bowden used brushed aluminium to create a range of display fixtures, including chunky plinths and super-slender shelving units supported by floor-to-ceiling poles.
    The space also houses a couple of angular aluminium counters for packing orders that include discrete storage for boxes and subtle openings, through which tissue paper or bubble wrap can be pulled.
    Shoji-style storage cabinets can be seen in the officeA slightly more playful selection of colours and materials was used for the studio’s custom furnishings.
    In the main showroom, there’s a modular display island sheathed in lilac linen. Meanwhile in the office, designer Byron Pritchard – who is also Bowden’s partner – created a gridded wooden cabinet inlaid with translucent sheets of paper, intended to resemble a traditional Japanese shoji screen.
    Hammered-metal door handles in the studio resemble Completedworks’ earringsThis isn’t Bowden’s first project in London’s affluent Marylebone neighbourhood.
    Previously, the designer created an office for real estate company Schönhaus, decking the space out with dark-stained oak and aged leather to emulate the feel of a gentleman’s club.
    The photography is by Genevieve Lutkin.

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    Emma Martí celebrates Menorca's architectural heritage in Hevresac Hotel

    Spanish architect Emma Martí has converted an 18th-century townhouse on the Balearic island of Menorca into the intimate eight-bedroom Hevresac Hotel, taking over all of its five floors from basement to attic.

    The building, which originally belonged to a local merchant and privateer, is set in the historic centre of Mahón – a former trade hub that still bears traces of French and English culture after spending many years under colonial rule.
    Emma Martí has converted a five-storey townhouse into the Hevresac HotelHevresac owners Ignasi Truyol and Stephanie Mahé brought Martí on board for the renovation in part because she was an old friend, who they thought could be trusted to conserve and enhance the spirit and character of the building.
    Martí’s aim for the project was to fill the building with light and life while preserving its wealth of existing architectural elements, from wooden beams and mosaic flooring to stucco walls and staircases.
    “The aim of the project was to create a fresh and inspiring hotel that values the beauty of the existing architecture,” said the hotel’s owners.

    Original details such as parquet floors were retained throughoutHevresac’s original floors, covered variously in wooden parquet and encaustic cement tiles, were carefully preserved.
    In areas where it was not possible to retain the original elements, Martí chose a new design language using modern equivalents of these original materials, including micro-cement.
    Hevresac Hotel has only eight guest roomsThe renovation process revealed both the stucco on the walls and the original paintwork on the beams, uncovering part of the building’s hidden history.
    The original wrought iron columns in the living room are now a celebrated feature. Less noticeable but equally interesting is the Masonic symbolism on the wrought-iron railing of the marble staircase at the entrance.
    Solid timber was used to frame private bathrooms in each of the bedroomsMartí also wanted to preserve the original room structure of the townhouse.
    To allow for this, she added private bathrooms within each of the existing bedrooms using a lightweight timber framing system made of solid Flanders pine, while three-ply spruce boards form partitions, headboards and wardrobes in each bedroom.
    “Martí’s intention is for the new materials to coexist and harmonise with the originals, providing a new language, lightness and contemporaneity,” the owners said.

    Artchimboldi Menorca is a work retreat inside an abandoned girls’ school

    A new staircase – also utilising spruce ply – now coexists with the original staircase, providing an alternative route through the Hevresac Hotel.
    The material is key to the contemporary language of the new insertions, which sit clearly differentiated alongside layers of the building’s past.
    “I like to work with an honest and frank attitude towards the island’s architectural heritage,” Martí told Dezeen. “I wanted it to be clear what our intervention was, not to highlight it but to highlight the value of what existed in the building.”
    Three-ply spruce boards form partitions and wardrobes in each of the bedroomsTo fill the spaces with natural light, several skylights were added on the upper floor, with one above the main stairwell as well as three new openings in the facade.
    In the basement, the vaulted ceiling made of local marés stone required an intervention to lighten the space.
    Martí’s response was to remove a bay of the existing vault and install a new, more comfortable staircase to link the ground floor with the basement and flood the space with light.
    Martí also added a new spruce ply staircaseHevresac’s choice of furnishings reflects Mahón’s cosmopolitan history, including an eclectic assembly of antique, vintage and contemporary pieces from all over Europe.
    Among them are Nanimarquina rugs, Achille Castiglioni lights and some of Marcel Breuer’s Cesca chairs, as well as items from Menorcan antique dealers including Alcolea & Kraus and Antics Antigüedades.
    “It’s a kind of synergy,” the owners said. “Together, the components project a warm, creative and personal composition, which is more than the algebraical sum of those individual pieces.”
    The hotel has a small terraceMartí, who founded her self-titled studio Emma Martí Arquitectura in Menorca in 2013, has since completed a number of projects on the island.
    Among them is a work retreat inside an abandoned girls’ school, with design-driven spaces where businesses can host meetings or team-building sessions.
    The photography is by Pol Viladoms

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    Studio Giancarlo Valle transforms historic Stockholm cinema into tactile rug showroom

    Interior design firm Studio Giancarlo Valle has turned an early 20th-century cinema in Stockholm into a showroom for rug company Nordic Knots, restoring its original stone details and adding warm wood and brushed steel.

    Mottled green marble covers the walls of the 150-square-metre showroom, which is located in the central Östermalm area of Stockholm.
    As part of the revamp Studio Giancarlo Valle restored the existing marble – a traditional Swedish type of stone called Kolmårdsmarmor – as well as the building’s grand central staircase.
    The showroom is located in a former cinema in ÖstermalmThe studio also added more contemporary touches, such as brushed stainless-steel details and walnut and oak furniture.
    “The interior is historic and we wanted to preserve the architectural details, so we restored the terrazzo and plaster,” studio founder Giancarlo Valle told Dezeen.

    “The building is a 20th-century former movie theatre and it was critical to maintain a sense of grandness when entering the space,” he added.
    Green marble from Sweden clads the wallsNordic Knots’ co-founder Liza Laserow wanted the interior to feature as many of the original details in the 1918 building as possible.
    “During the demolition of some old closets, we discovered the original floor to the building from the early 1900s – a muted green terrazzo with a red and white checkerboard,” Laserow told Dezeen.
    “Discovering the original flooring made us realise that we wanted to use terrazzo throughout, as the green colour in the original terrazzo matched the green marble on the walls perfectly.”
    The brand managed to find a Swedish company that could replicate the original terrazzo to cover the entire floor area.
    Rugs designed by Giancarlo Valle decorate the spaceThe stone floors and walls are complemented by a variety of natural materials.
    “To balance out the existing stone and terrazzo, we brought in warmer, more tactile materials like pine, oak, and walnut,” Valle said.
    Oak and walnut shelves decorate the walls of the Sample Bar, a room where customers can see samples of different Nordic Knots rugs, and where Studio Giancarlo Valle introduced custom-made oak lounge chairs.
    The Sample Bar features wooden shelving and steel furnitureValle also added brushed-steel touches to the Nordic Knots showroom, including on its custom-made steel and walnut coffee bar in the main gallery area and a table in the Sample Bar.
    The furniture throughout is designed in reference to the building, such as the curved front of the coffee bar that reflects the shape of its doorposts.

    Luca Nichetto transforms Swedish villa into his own studio and showroom

    Laserow and co-founder Fabian Berglund had previously worked with Valle on a series of rugs for the company, which resulted in four designs, including an all-beige rug with a pattern of open hands and a red rug with flower buds on it.
    These are used to decorate the walls and floors of the showroom.
    Meeting rooms are located in the back of the buildingAt the back of the building sit the company’s meeting rooms and office spaces, which feature wooden furniture and a colour palette of saturated blues and mustard yellows.
    “The new interiors very much honour the building’s history,” Valle said.
    “We were careful to preserve the historic architectural details, along with the feeling of entering a grand theatre, when designing the space.”
    The original terrazzo floor is replicated throughout the spaceThe showroom opened during this year’s edition of Stockholm Design Week, which also featured an exhibition of “functional art” by Danish studio Tableau and a virtual apartment.
    Studio Giancarlo Valle’s designs have previously been used for projects including a showroom in a Brooklyn warehouse and a co-working company founded by Yves Béhar.
    The photography is courtesy of Nordic Knots.

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    One Wall Street skyscraper completes conversion from offices to apartments

    Work to convert an art deco skyscraper from offices to residential use has completed, becoming the largest building in New York City to undergo this type of adaptive reuse.

    A total of 566 homes now occupy One Wall Street, designed by Ralph Walker and completed in 1931, in Lower Manhattan’s Financial District.
    The completion of One Wall Street’s conversion was marked by the reveal of a new model apartmentDeveloper Harry Macklowe of Macklowe Properties is behind the transformation, which encompasses one million square feet (92,900 square metres) of residential and 250,000 square feet (23,200 square metres) of commercial amenities.
    “In the heart of the iconic financial district, One Wall Street, one of New York City’s most significant buildings, both in history and sheer size, has set the standard for residential conversions, marking yet another historic success,” said Macklowe.
    The apartment was designed by Guillaume Coutheillas of FrenchCalifornia”The goal was to incarnate empty spaces into thoughtfully redesigned residences that will stand the test of time and continue to answer future demands of modern living.”

    The building’s opening was marked by the reveal of a new model residence, designed by Guillaume Coutheillas of FrenchCalifornia.
    Residence 3404 features three bedroom and multi-aspect viewsResidence 3404, one of the building’s largest, includes three bedrooms and multi-aspect views of New York harbour.
    Coutheillas envisioned the interiors as if Macklowe himself were to live there, blending European influences using warm neutral colours.
    Amenities in the tower include a “sky pool” with a glass ceilingMany of the furniture and decor items were sourced from Mexico City studio Atra and are debuting in the space.
    Other model residences completed last year were designed by Elizabeth Graziolo of Yellow House Architects and French architect and designer Cyril Vergniol.

    Residential skyscrapers on the rise in Manhattan’s Financial District

    A 6,500-square-foot (600-square-metre) co-working space available exclusively to residents and their guests was outfitted in partnership with architect Deborah Berke.
    More amenity spaces cover the 38th and 39th floors, including a 75-foot (23-metre), glass-enclosed Sky Pool with a wraparound terrace, and a private restaurant, bar and dining room for residents.
    One Wall Street was designed by Ralph Walker and completed in 1931The Financial District, known locally as FiDi, is named for being home to the New York Stock Exchange and many global banking headquarters.
    However, the area has gradually seen a rise in residential developments over the past decade.
    The skyscraper is the largest office building to be converted for residential use in New York City’s historyMany of Manhattan’s office buildings are still struggling with low occupancy rates following the Covid-19 pandemic, so this type of office-to-residential conversion may become more common in the near future.
    The photography is by Colin Miller.

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    Hollywood puppet theatre becomes Chief LA members' club

    A clubhouse for women in business now occupies a 1940s theatre in Los Angeles, following renovation work by JM|A+D and TAP Studio, with interiors by AvroKO.

    The three studios collaborated to rehabilitate the former Hollywood puppet theatre to create the Los Angeles flagship for Chief, which offers memberships to women in leadership roles.
    Like Chief’s other locations, the LA flagship clubhouse is designed to have a residential feel”Designed as a space for the most powerful women in business to connect and find community, we re-conceptualized the historic structure as a modern pied-a-terre, reinterpreting the best elements of traditional member’s club environments with a bold, lush palette,” said the team in a joint statement.
    JM|A+D and TAP Studio – both based in California – worked on restoring the theatre building while updating the spaces for their new purposes.
    The former theatre was converted to include two bars, five conference rooms and multiple lounges”From scattered wet bars and mothers’ rooms to carefully scaled seating and meeting areas, our goal was to develop a female-focused environment that brings the membership network’s mission to life,” the team said.

    “We dovetailed original building elements with new millwork, pathways, and technology to create an enfilade of communal and enclosed zones designed to host large events, lingering, chance encounters and focused work.”
    Conference rooms are each identified by a different colourThe interiors incorporate some of the design elements in Chief’s New York and Chicago locations, the latter of which was also designed by AvroKO and was named Large Workspace of the Year at the Dezeen Awards 2021.
    The visual threads between the different outposts include the use of rich colours and mix of furniture styles to create a residential feel, and incorporating many pieces by female artists and designers among custom millwork and vintage finds.
    Nods to the building’s former use include framed signatures of those who performed thereThe 14,000-square-foot (1,300-square-metre) LA clubhouse is split over two levels and includes two bars, five conference rooms, multiple lounge areas, and smaller private rooms for meetings or focused work.
    An outdoor patio is also available for members to sit among the trees or around a fire pit.

    AvroKO creates residential feel inside Chief members club in Chicago

    Inside, another fireplace is clad in narrow, glossy ceramic tiles and forms a focal point at the end of the bar.
    Each of the conference rooms is identified by a different colour, such as a large room with a sienna-hued ceiling and another that’s painted dark blue.
    A mix of furniture styles includes custom pieces, vintage finds and many designs by womenOchre yellow, dusty rose and various shades of green can also be found in upholstery, rugs, artwork and styled accessories.
    Nods to the building’s previous use are also scattered throughout. “We integrated a wall with celebrity signatures from roasts hosted at the theatre into the design,” said the team.
    Chief LA also has an outdoor patio for members to enjoyJM|A+D was founded by architect Jeffrey Miller and also has an office in Oregon. The studio has previously collaborated with TAP principal Tanya Paz on several residential projects.
    AvroKO is best known for hospitality projects and also designed the Mortimer House members’ club in London.
    The photography is by Aubrie Pick.
    Project credits:
    Architecture: JM|A+D and TAPInterior design: AvroKOCivil engineer: KPFFMEP consultant: Interface EngineeringAudiovisual consultant: VanWert Technology DesignLighting consultant: Focus LightingFood and beverage consultant: Sam Tell

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    Luca Nichetto transforms Swedish villa into his own studio and showroom

    Luca Nichetto has converted a 1940s villa in Stockholm into a studio to display his designs in a domestic setting and provide a comfortable working environment for his team.

    The Italian designer’s studio was previously based out of an apartment in the city’s Midsommarkransen neighbourhood. But when the landlord wanted to raise the rent, Nichetto decided to relocate to a larger property in a nearby suburb.
    Luca Nichetto has turned a 1940s villa into his own studio”I didn’t really need to look for another space in the city centre because it’s not that important for us as we work globally,” Nichetto explained.
    “A week after beginning to search, I saw on the real estate market what is now the Pink Villa. It was simply perfect and I made the offer.”
    A blush-pink staircase leads up to the first floorThe Pink Villa is a typical 1940s wooden house with a gabled roof and a large garden. Nichetto bought the property in 2021 and began adapting the interior to make it suitable for use as a studio.

    “I didn’t want a conventional studio space but rather a space that could be a studio, a showroom and a domestic property to be used on the weekends by my family and during the week by my team,” the designer told Dezeen.
    Nichetto’s Banah sofa for Arflex sits in the living areaThe villa takes its name from its distinctive pink exterior, which was given a fresh coat of bubblegum-pink paint to maintain its characterful presence on the street.
    The property’s existing three bedrooms were transformed into a private office for Nichetto on the first floor and a meeting room and tailor’s workshop on the ground floor, which his wife uses on the weekends.
    La Manufacture’s Soufflé mirror helps to bring character to the spaceA corridor leads from the entrance to a bright living room that looks onto the garden. An opening beyond the stairs up to the first floor connects with the simple custom-built kitchen.
    Along with Nichetto’s office, the upper floor contains a second bathroom and a large open workspace that facilitates flexible use rather than incorporating dedicated workstations.
    Bright and bold colours were used throughout the interiorThe interior features a pared-back palette of materials and colours that provide a neutral backdrop for a selection of products and furniture designed by Nichetto for brands including Offecct, Cassina, Arflex and Bernhardt Design.
    “I wanted to give a touch of warmth and I did that using colour and volumes,” the designer said. “I particularly chose materials culturally connected with the south of Europe and very deliberately mixed them with Scandinavian features.”

    Watch our talk with Ginori 1735 and Luca Nichetto about their new collection of home fragrances

    In the living area, pale-pink walls and white-painted floors contribute to the light and airy feel. Nichetto’s Banah sofa for Arflex and Soufflé mirror for La Manufacture are among the playful designs that bring character to this space.
    Upstairs, the main office spaces feature furniture such as Nichetto’s Torei low table for Cassina and Nico armchair for Bernhardt Design. His office contains the Railway table for De Padova and Robo chairs by Offecct.
    Walls in the living area were painted a light pinkOne of the key qualities that attracted Nichetto to the property is the spacious garden, which includes a terrace furnished with his Esedra table and Pluvia chairs for Ethimo.
    The basement garage was converted into a self-contained guest suite called the Chalet, which includes a living room, bedroom and bathroom with a Swedish sauna.
    The house also has a self-contained guest suiteSince the renovation was completed in April 2022, the Chalet has hosted international visitors including art directors, photographers and designers.
    The property’s location close to a park and to the water was another reason it appealed to Nichetto, who said he enjoys the proximity to nature and the good relationship he has established with his neighbours.
    Ceramic tiles provide a pop of colourA housekeeper was hired to look after the studio and to prepare meals for the team, adding to the sense of it hybrid space that is both domestic and designed for work.
    “It’s like being in a family: we all have lunch together and there are no fixed workstations to work,” he explained. “Moreover, whoever comes to visit us, if he wants, can stay and sleep. The idea is to create a sense of community.”
    Ethimo’s Esedra table and Pluvia chairs decorate the terraceLuca Nichetto established his multidisciplinary practice in Venice, Italy, in 2006 and continues to run a studio there alongside his main office in Stockholm. Nichetto Studio specialises in industrial and product design as well as art direction for design brands.
    Nichetto’s recent work includes a series of home fragrances for Ginori 1735 and his first foray into fashion accessories in the form of the apple-leather Malala handbag.
    The photography is by Max Rommel.

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