The silk road

In the Cannaregio zone, an apartment in a Gothic building tells stories of travels and love

The architecture studio opened years ago by Elisabeth Regnault de la Mothe in Venice has a prophetic name: “Vivere Venezia”. Having fallen in love with the city, living in Venice implies a calm pace and easy social contact along with an extraordinary cultural heritage to be conserved. The lengthy restoration of a Gothic building at the edge of the Ghetto, towards Sant’Alvise in Cannaregio, fits into this philosophy: «The structure is that of the period in which it was built, one level plus attic. It was in bad condition, its architectural character concealed by dozens of interventions, split to make more rooms. Even the trilobed arches of the windows had been hidden. We have tried to restore it to its original beauty».

The terrazzo floors have been saved, the plasterboard suspended ceilings removed, revealing high ceilings and beams. A fireplace, whose chimney was visible from the outside, was discovered deep inside a wall. The Venetian character can also be seen in the plaster finish of the walls, in a velvety shade of bordeaux. The city’s relationship with the Orient is reflected in a series of objects purchased during long trips abroad: a Chinese canopy bed, a Burmese vase, traditional parasols as lamps, a coffee table – also from Burma – in the living room. Other traces include the tiles covering the walls of the kitchen and the bathroom.

Contemporary furniture establishes a dialogue with historical and ethnic pieces – an Extrasoft sofa by Piero Lissoni (Living Divani), an Arco lamp by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni (Flos), an efficient, minimalist kitchen (Veneta Cucine). All these items are inserted in a profoundly Venetian interior, and become part of it. Because «the true Venetians are those who choose that identity».