MIXED MATERIALS
THIS APARTMENT SHOWCASES THE TREND FOR COMBINING COLOUR, PAT TERN AND TEXTURE
THE TREND
A slab of marble, a glint of metal or exotic wood can combine to create an object of rare beauty. In the home, the mixed materials aesthetic is heightened and complemented by splashes of colour, layers of fabric and mismatched prints. Creative duo Studiopepe – aka Arianna Lelli Mami and Chiara Di Pinto (above; read their profile on p57) – created the perfect embodiment of the trend with this apartment, which was the talk of the 2017 Milan Furniture Fair.
THE INSPIRATION
The Visit, set in an early 19th-century building in the Brera district in central Milan, is an elegant fusion of past and present. Studiopepe came up with the idea for the apartment while they were having a drink at Bar Basso, one of Milan’s oldest and most famous cocktail bars. Having previously created shop interiors for big brands such as Maxmara and Fritz Hansen, the duo were eager to work in a domestic setting. ‘ When we go to visit someone, we discover their private universe, full of signs, layered details and personal objects,’ says Arianna. ‘ We believe that a home is the physical transposition of our inner world, so we filled the apartment with things that make us happy and that evolve over time. Barriers between the rooms are fluid, and there are nomadic furnishings whose functions can be transformed.’
Arianna and Chiara took inspiration from artists when planning the apartment’s decoration. Among them were Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, English sculptor David Tremlett and American artist Sol Lewitt, whose work influenced the geometric murals that the pair designed for this space. These roam over walls and ceilings, creating visual ‘conversations’ with artworks, furniture, doors and windows. ‘ We used them to open up new perspectives,’ explains Arianna. ‘For us, it’s not just what’s in a room that’s important, but what you can see from one room to another.’ studiopepedesign.it
Opposite In this corner of the living room, Studiopepe’s ‘Gelosia’ screen for Spotti Edizioni sits behind a marble ‘Tavolo M’ table by Angelo Mangiarotti for Agapecasa. On the table is an ‘Ossimori III’ lamp by Studiopepe and a striped vase by Ettore Sottsass for Bitossi. The ‘Stilla’ poufs are by AYTM, the ‘Pannacotta’ side table is by Ron Gilad for Molteni & C, and the series of four ‘Lune’ sconces on the wall are by Atelier de Troupe Details, above Studiopepe (from left, Arianna Lelli Mami and Chiara Di Pinto) and the ‘Totem Dining’ console table designed by Studiopepe and manufactured by Arpa Industriale using ‘Fenix NTM’, a scratch-proof laminate. On top of the console sits a hand sculpture by Gio Ponti, a vase designed by Ettore Sottsass for Bitossi, and an ‘Ossimori VI’ lamp by Studiopepe Stockist details on p152 ➤