A Palace Apartment For The Modern Cinderella

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la luna sul bonsai, Andrea Bella Concept Andrea Bella Concept Minimalist living room
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The famous and historical Italian city of Turin has an old-world charm that is enhanced by a considerable number of historic buildings and beautiful palaces, many of which are being optimally restored in a fascinating blend of traditional and modern designs. The apartment that we are going to explore today, La luna sul bonsai (The Moon on Bonsai), is situated inside one of the magnificent palaces, which dates back to the early 20th century. Undaunted by the rigid structural limitations of working within an old structure, the architects at Andrea Bella Concept innovatively redesigned the nine original rooms into three large living spaces to fashion a gorgeous home based on an open-plan, minimalist setting. One of the primary objectives was to use such designs wherein the storage spaces would be cleverly concealed. Let’s take a tour!

The spacious living area

What a wealth of space in the living area! The white walls, light brown parquet and minimalist furniture heighten the effect of ample space, making the area look bright and airy. The comfortable white sofa is elegantly accented by grey cushions while the vibrant armchair makes a beautiful splash of colour. The iconic arc lamp designed in 1962 by Achille Castiglioni and the sophisticated television, are the posh and trendy highlights of the room, adding a touch of glamour to a modest décor. Apart from the lamp, recessed lights cast a soft glow from the ceiling and illuminate the passage from the entrance, which is cleverly concealed behind two works of art.

The magical stone bookcase

Viewing the living area from the entrance, we get a marvellous look at the long, low bookcase with the bold futuristic red lamp at the further end. What a beautifully conceived blend of sober grey and vibrant red! The lamp is a stunning showpiece and raises the style quotient of the living area to quite another level! The elegant stone-topped bookcase is an impressive 16ft long affair and consists of six extractable elements, which means many more books are concealed within!

Trendy way to dine

A brilliant futuristic concept greets us in the combined dining and kitchen area. The transparent look and medallion-shaped backs of the chairs influenced by Philippe Stark’s Ghost Chair design match the stylish oval dining table that rests on a steel base. The ambiance is elegant and contemporary, and the transparency of the furniture lends an ethereal look to the area. A touch of solidity and warmth is imparted by the brown hues of the natural wooden floor and the cabinets while the green plant at one end provides a nice splash of colour. The cabinets are neatly concealed in what seems to be a panelled brown wall but is actually a row of cabinets lined with brown fabric.

The classy kitchen

The trendy kitchen is a masterpiece in concealment! The central island is specially designed with a sliding glass top that hides the sink, the cooking plate, the exhaust hood and the tap. When extended, the sliding glass top doubles as a small breakfast table. What a brilliant concept! But wait, there are even more marvels! The kitchen also contains a retractable laundry, fridge, pantry and numerous cupboards! All the kitchen furniture has a special easy-to-wash ceramic coating. From this angle we can also admire the stylish lights. As in the living area, the lamp hanging over the dining table is a futuristic delight! We also love the trendy little lights hanging over the kitchen island.

The cozy bedroom

The third big space is the private area, which is divided into the bedroom, the study, and the bathroom. The colour palette has progressed from very light colours in the living area to darker shades in the dining and kitchen, to the richest shades featuring in the bedroom. This area looks warm, cozy and intimate in shades of brown that are softly lit up in a yellow glow.

Ideal environment for relaxation

Looking at the room from this angle, we see how cleverly it has been sectioned into two levels in keeping with the open-plan concept. The lower level for sleeping and the upper level for working are joined yet separate. The steps are a symbol of the original features of the building and knit the historicity of the house with its now contemporary designs. The frosted glass wall enhances the effect of spaciousness while effectively concealing the bathroom behind it.

The stylish bathroom

The translucent wall lets in light from the bedroom, making the bathroom a bright space, while at the same time the frosted effect ensures privacy. The décor is stylish and unique. Just look at those intriguing deep washbasins! The mirrors on the wall match the medallion back of the chair and the floating shelf is a convenient dressing table!

The architects have successfully met the brief of combining the original structure of the building with contemporary interior designs. The bold and sophisticated futuristic elements surpass expectations, while the nifty method of concealing storage spaces and kitchen appliances is nothing short of extraordinary! Here’s another tour for more ideas - A Modern Home With Natural Charm.

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