Rome, outside
In a 17th-century palazzo, a large flat recovers its original spirit thanks to its owner’s taste
Rome remains outside, framed by the windows, in this apartment inside a profoundly, emblematically Roman palazzo. The interiors constitute a synthesis of history and beauty, traditional architecture and personal décor, where colors, furnishings and art combine in a harmonious, new, different whole. «The original design had been lost», says the owner: «The large rooms had been split up by plasterboard walls; it seemed like a disaster, but I was able to glimpse its potential. I have been able to recover the true meaning of these spaces. My bedroom, for example, is very large, but proportionate: 45 square meters».
A lover of art and interior design, the owner has made courageous use of color to set the tone of the spaces. «The work on the walls was done by the decorator Barbara Valli, relying on all her experience with restoration, frames, antiques, costume design and painting». The hues are intense: cobalt blue, bordeaux, green, notes also found in the seating, or the balloon lampshades by Paola Napoleone. Even the artwork focuses on pure color, like the series of seven panels by Dan Flavin, a tribute to Donald Judd.
The furnishings avoid minimalism, in an eclectic mix: a steel kitchen by Boffi, a round table from the early 1900s, 18-century chambranles from Piedmont, a sculpture by Fausto Melotti from the late 1970s. As well as an unexpected stroke of luck: two rare wardrobes by Piero Portaluppi with curved doors. «Piero Castellini Baldissera had them, and one evening he called to tell me his aunts were quarreling, and he was going to put the pieces up for auction. So I grabbed them». Castellini Baldissera is a recurring name, linked to many of the furnishings, including the canopy bed in the master bedroom, the wicker chaise longue or the velvet sofas, all made by Alessandro Frigerio.