Venetian Restoration

The glory of Venice is reflected in this 13th-century palazzo apartment with its sleek and stylish monochrome scheme

Monochrome and marble take precedence in this elegant palazzo.

Agasp of surprise is the usual reaction of Frederic Tubau and his partner Anna Covre’s friends when stepping out onto the roof terrace of the couple’s 13th-century Venetian palazzo apartment for the first time. The Italian Gothic architecture of the medieval basilica juxtaposed with the glinting marble of the Scuola Grande di San Marco in the adjacent square makes for an evocative tableau. ‘When we embarked on the renovation, the city and its history were the only sources of inspiration we needed,’ says Frederic, who runs a global design consultancy with Anna.

Inside the apartment, the couple’s exquisite scheme draws on the splendours of Venice yet never seeks to imitate. ‘The idea was to create something contemporary, a contrast with the city, while reinterpreting the elements that make it so special,’ says Frederic. The graphic lines of the marble floor, for instance, reimagine the entrance to Santa Maria del Rosario.

The couple, who divide their time between Venice, which is Anna’s hometown, and Frederic’s native home of Paris, bought the run-down palazzo floor by floor three years ago, having fallen in love with its impressive size and lofty windows. Their ambitious plans to reverse 50 years of dereliction, and to carve four separate apartments out of it, took almost a year to navigate through the Venetian courts. ‘It’s very di∞cult to do what you want in Venice; the focus is on preserving the past, rather than building for the future,’ says Frederic.

Situated on the second and third floors of the palazzo, Frederic and Anna’s apartment is a testament to their design skills, with the beautifully restored sitting room windows setting the tone for a dramatic scheme that plays with light and perspective. In the kitchen, opening up the ceiling to the roof also introduced more natural light, which in turn illuminates the corridor outside the kitchen thanks to a series of mirrors and reflective surfaces.

‘The elegant monochromatic scheme was an obvious choice,’ says Frederic, ‘as it allowed us to enhance the views.’ With this in mind, natural materials, such as brushed oak, richly veined Arabescato marble, cast iron and fine white linens have been layered throughout, creating a homogeneous, easy-flowing style. In the couple’s bedroom, a framed marble slab with LED strips exudes a sculptural quality while, in the guest bedroom, the graphic layout of the timber flooring recalls a predilection for pattern seen elsewhere in the apartment. In fact, everywhere you look there is a carefully crafted sense of harmony and balance.

SITTING ROOMIn contrast to the bustle of the square outside the home of Frederic Tubau and Anna Covre, the symmetrical arrangement of this room offers a pleasing sense of peace and harmony. The curves of the seating are a gentle counterbalance to the room’s graphic elements.Febo armchairs 2809t in samara silk Velvet, £2,386 each, B&B italia, bebitalia. com. Nagato side tables(in front of fireplace), £1,240 each, Christian Liaigre, liaigre.com. Curtains inFaber in avorio, £202m, rubelli, rubelli.com. Interiordesign and wall lights, anna & Fred, anna-fred.com.

KITCHENExcept for the veined marble island and splashback, the kitchen (above, far left) is minimalist in style. ‘The open-plan layout means you can see directly into this space when you enter the apartment, so everything is designed to be hidden away at a moment’s notice,’ says Frederic. DINING AREAThe marble-topped table (far left) was designed by Frederic and he and Anna use it for entertaining and to work on. Bespoke mirrors with a brushed oak frame, Saint-gobain, saint-gobain.co.uk. Febo dining chair 2820T in Samara Silk Velvet, £2,228, B&B Italia, bebitalia.com. CORRIDOR Admiral 172 bathtubThe wall between the kitchen and the corridor hides unsightly pipework, while the mirrored wall (left) creates a sense of space by reflecting the graphic floor design. GUEST BEDROOM AND BATHROOMThis room (above) on the third floor has a cosy, cocooning scheme, which incorporates a bathing area. The timber flooring under the bath (above left) has been crafted to resemble the floor of a yacht, in deference to Venice’s maritime heritage.with Deco feet in polished aluminium, £3,252, Devon & Devon, devon-devon.com.