From a 19th century apartment in Bergamo, a modern space is created
There comes a time in every household when you need to stop and consider if a redesign is in order. As families change and grow, your home should adapt, too, reflecting the status quo. Focusing on updating the kitchen, living room, dining room and a portion of the entrance hall, Gabriele and Oscar Buratti from Buratti Architetti were tasked with giving this historic apartment in Bergamo, Italy, new life.
Renovating an entire residence can be a daunting process, but selecting a few rooms can make a world of difference to the atmosphere and character of a space. “The project was not about the whole apartment, only the most public areas,” says Gabriele. “Looking at the existing home, we understood those rooms were already special; the historical atmosphere created by the decorated flooring, ceilings, windows and doors was mixed=QUOTE= with art pieces from the clients. So we decided to make some specific additions that were strong and contemporary compared to the old apartment.”
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Mixing the old with the new is a favoured design technique that highlights the best of both worlds. And when working with an apartment full of unique accents, it’s important to get this balance right. “We adopted a conservative approach, retaining some features like doors, window frames and floors, but removed everything that had been added over the years,” says Gabriele. “We changed the old layout in the kitchen, removing an existing wall to create a new big room for the kitchen and dining. This new space has been divided in two by a bespoke red glass partition that hides the tall unit of the kitchen.” A functional design feature, the red partition is the ideal centrepiece for the mostly neutral space, which revolves around a palette of warm timber, black and white. The new kitchen also features a grey basalt stone feature wall that adds texture and a point of difference to the kitchen.
In the living quarters, full-height glass doors with a film finish in different shades produces a soft pink colour, opening or closing off the space to the connecting room. “We designed items that are functional furniture elements and pieces with their own aesthetic quality, which have direct dialogue with the other art pieces in the home,” says Gabriele. The entrance hall also received some attention from Gabriele and Oscar, with the installation of a new timber screen comprising strips of different-sized rough-cut wenge timber, lined with grey hide and accents of brass detailing.
For a family of five, the revamp of their home meshes timeless style with the historic features of the 19th-century apartment. The end result is a stunning space full of custom accents that hit the mark when it comes to modern sophistication.
Originally from Home Design magazines, Volume 19 Issue 2
Written by Annabelle Cloros
Photography by Marcello Mariana