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Houzz Tour: A Family Say No to Relocating in Favour of Renovating
A 10 sq m apartment in Rome, where biophilic design is apparent you as soon as you step foot inside
The owners of this apartment – a couple with two children – first contacted architect Maurizio Giovannoni because they were planning to buy a bigger place with bright, spacious rooms, where each of the children could have their own bedroom. However, for various reasons, the purchase never materialised, and so, upon Maurizio’s expert advice, the owners made the decision to renovate the home they were already living in instead.
By following biophilic design principles, such as increasing daylight and choosing natural materials, the property has been transformed. The result is a home that’s colourful, yet simultaneously simple and minimal.
By following biophilic design principles, such as increasing daylight and choosing natural materials, the property has been transformed. The result is a home that’s colourful, yet simultaneously simple and minimal.
The project floor plan.
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Thinking of renovating? Find everyone you need, from interior designers to builders, carpenters and decorators, on Houzz.
The front door is located to the right in this photo. As soon as you walk in, you’re welcomed by a chill-out zone that faces onto the office – two spaces designed in line with the concept of biophilia, where people and nature are at the very heart. These two rooms lead on to the living area.
“I reduced the entrance by two metres to carve out a space that embraces the concepts of biophilia, prioritising natural light and the presence of green and warm materials,” Maurizio says.
The study is fitted with a bespoke cabinet.
“I reduced the entrance by two metres to carve out a space that embraces the concepts of biophilia, prioritising natural light and the presence of green and warm materials,” Maurizio says.
The study is fitted with a bespoke cabinet.
The bench in the chill-out zone is made from natural oak slats and surrounded by wallpaper, chosen for its natural-inspired design. “I wanted for whoever is working in the office to be able to glance through the porthole and feel as if they’re looking out onto a garden,” Maurizio says.
A porthole separates the chill-out zone and the office, helping the flow of natural light. The colour green was chosen as a nod to nature. The porthole was custom-made by a blacksmith.
The area that now houses the chill-out zone and study before the renovation.
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The hallway area before the renovation.
The kitchen is to the left of the front door. “I chose to remove the walls dividing the spaces to make the apartment brighter, and instead to separate the kitchen from the other rooms with sliding glass doors,” Maurizio says.
“There are guide rails running along the top, inside the plasterboard: the glass doors can simply be detached, twisted round and packed flat against the wall,” he continues. “The result is a clean, simple aesthetic. I also wanted to bring out the feeling of continuity.”
“There are guide rails running along the top, inside the plasterboard: the glass doors can simply be detached, twisted round and packed flat against the wall,” he continues. “The result is a clean, simple aesthetic. I also wanted to bring out the feeling of continuity.”
The space in general is bright and colourful. “The whole apartment is punctuated by different shades: the owners wanted a home dominated by colour,” Maurizio says. “We worked hard to choose the best tones, which, when placed one next to the other, would create a welcoming, harmonious space.”
The kitchen measures 10 sq m. The red section along the side houses an open shelving area and a storage area.
The kitchen measures 10 sq m. The red section along the side houses an open shelving area and a storage area.
The kitchen before the renovation.
The artworks on the wall are actually trays. Beyond the dining table, you can see the living area.
The sideboard in the living area already belonged to the family.
“I chose to illuminate the sofa area with a black track lighting fixture to add some character. I don’t like lowering the ceiling if I don’t have to,” Maurizio says.
“I chose to illuminate the sofa area with a black track lighting fixture to add some character. I don’t like lowering the ceiling if I don’t have to,” Maurizio says.
The TV cabinet was already owned by the family, too. “I covered it in oak slats to create one single unit with an integrated bench,” Maurizio says.
The TV cabinet before the renovation.
This image shows the corridor that runs alongside the kitchen and leads to the bedrooms.
In the main bedroom, Maurizio has used more oak slats. “We created a wooden storage unit alongside a chill-out corner with wallpaper in dark and light blue tones and a dusky pink armchair. The owners wanted a romantic area where they could relax and read,” he says.
The bedroom before the renovation.
The main bathroom measures 4.5 sq m.
The bathroom before the renovation.
This photo shows the balcony, which is accessed from the main bedroom. Before, it was an outside storage area. “I used the same tiles for the corner of the room from which the outside area is accessed,” Maurizio says. “I also covered the column that houses all the electrical wires and installed a small wardrobe.”
“[For the girl’s room,] we went for Scandinavian style, refreshing the entrance with a woodland design,” Maurizio says.
The bedroom before the renovation.
For the corresponding bathroom, Maurizio opted for light pink and powder blue. “It’s an unusual pairing, but one that worked in this case. The black hardware reinforces the combination,” he says.
This photo shows the boy’s room: to the right you can just see an alcove with built-in shelving.
The adjoining bathroom.
The bathroom before the renovation.
Tell us…
What do you like about this renovated apartment? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Tell us…
What do you like about this renovated apartment? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A young family with two children
Location Southern Rome, Italy
Property An apartment in a 1970s building
Size Three bedrooms and two bathrooms;110 sq m
Architect Maurizio Giovannoni
Budget €50,000 (£42,747) in bespoke fittings and furnishings
The owners asked the designer to create an additional bedroom and a study, and to bring more natural light into what was previously quite a dark space.
“We redesigned the living area,” Maurizio says. “We couldn’t do anything with the bedroom area, as this would have involved the difficult task of changing the layout of the bathrooms. However, we did manage to move one of the walls over by a few centimetres in order to carve out two separate bedrooms for the children.”