Project Year: 2023
Construction: 2024-2025
Apartment: 80 sq m

Building Practice for Municipality for Restoration and Conservation, Interior Design, Lighting Design, Home Shopping, and Construction Management: Rachele Biancalani Studio.
Photo: Marta D’Avenia

Clients' requests, a couple of art and history lovers:
1- Give the home a character closely tied to the city of Siena and its history
2- Give the apartment personality with lighting
3- Optimize space, especially in the entrance
4- Create a living area where there wasn't one before
5- Hide the door to the second bathroom

Project style: Eclectic style, blending past and present Colors used: petrol blue, gold, terracotta, Canaletto walnut, sand, yellow ochre Flooring materials: Italian walnut parquet with a herringbone pattern, hand-chamfered and varnished Wall decorations/cladding: Resin in the bathrooms and as a covering for the kitchen countertop, stoneware wall cladding in the kitchen and living room, porcelain stoneware flooring in the bathrooms (large slabs with a mosaic effect) and mosaic on the walls inside the bathtub niche. stoneware with medieval star and cross design

Project highlights:
1- The house contains more than 100 arches, including the furnishings!
2- The sliding panel designed by the studio conceals the hallway entrance and looks like a work of art rather than a door, as it actually is.
3- The large closet in the entrance conceals the boiler, manifolds, and electrical panel.
4- The colors are inspired by the Contrada del Leocorno, the area where the apartment is located.
5- The delightful laundry cabinet is designed to allow plenty of air exchange with the outside, even when the washer-dryer is running.

A bespoke project that from the very beginning focused not only on the client's requests and expectations but also on capturing the "spirit" of the place. Designed for a client who is an artist, director, author, and lover of art and medieval history, the house features a succession of arches, with more than 100 of them incorporated into the architecture and furnishings, lighting, and decor. In this home, a herringbone Italian walnut parquet floor, each strip hand-chamfered, celebrates the Italian spirit and craftsmanship of the project, closely rooted in the city's history and the colors of its district, Leocorno. The lighting—direct, indirect, with dynamic white and dimmable options in every room—was meticulously designed by the designer, as specifically requested by the client. For this reason, each room features multiple layers of lighting: direct, indirect, targeted, functional, and dramatic. In almost every room there are dimmable LED strips with dynamic white for a truly elaborate and impactful project.

The apartment was divided in a completely incoherent way and had nightmare-like paneling. Furthermore, the kitchen was small, in a corner of the house, and the apartment didn't even have a living room. Attached to the front door was the door to one of the two bathrooms. Previously, the kitchen was cramped and located in what later became the study. Now, it's centrally located and features a functional area with no cabinets and tall units that blend into the walls, making use of half-mirrored doors.

The real stars of this apartment, besides the colors, are the custom-made furnishings: all designed by the designer, except for the bed, sofas, and bedroom wardrobe. The furnishings were crafted by two different carpenters and feature lacquered parts alternating with walnut that complement the parquet flooring. Arches and small arches punctuate the space, creating a balanced blend of functionality and aesthetics. A note on color: As you can see, in this apartment, the use of color is crucial because it defines the shapes and helps articulate the space, rebalancing it, and creating something truly unique. The initial proposal to the clients immediately received extremely positive feedback.

FUN FACT: The cast iron tub with lion's paws, a firm request from the client, was so heavy that, in addition to reinforcing the floor, I had to have it fitted with "pads" to prevent damage to the floor.

PRODUCTS AND SUPPLIES:
- Low coffee table, coffee tables, TV stand, bedside tables, and bedroom wardrobe: Santa Lucia
- Round coffee table: Santa Lucia
- Bed, armchairs, ottomans, and sofas: Rosini
- Living room rug: Bonami
- Chairs: Connubia
- Wall lights with arm over dining table: Prandina, Flyer
- Kitchen wall lights, bedroom wall lights, living room reading lamp: Stilnovo
- Bedside lamps: Zafferano
- Headboard wall lights: Gea Luce
- Bathroom shower spotlights: Idealux
- Entrance wall lights: Icone
- Bathroom, hallway, and study wall lights: Estiluz
- Bedroom sheets: La Redoute
- Sanitary ware, bathroom mirrors: NIC
- Bathroom vanity and sink: Artelinea
- Bathroom sink and shelf: Antonio Lupi
- Faucets: Newform
- Towel warmers and radiators: Tubes
-Resins: Arteviva and Kerakoll
-Wall paints and skirting boards: Kerakoll
-Bathroom shower flooring: 41Zero42
-Mosaic behind bathtub: Mosaico Etruria Design
-Parquet: Cp Parquet