My Houzz: A Small Space Cleverly Reinvented as a Light, Cosy Home
A former dental practice has been transformed into a welcoming flat with upcycled furniture and beautiful design details
After almost two years of searching, architect Sara Ranieri finally found her dream apartment and turned it into a welcoming and elegant home. In it, she combines design pieces, vintage and recycled furniture, and mementos for a bright, eclectic space.
Although the space was being used as a dental practice when Sara first saw it, she spotted its potential and completely transformed the rooms, creating a bright and welcoming home.
Fortunately, the apartment was still designated as a residential – rather than commercial – space, which saved Sara the effort and red tape of changing its use.
The boat-shaped living room, seen here from the kitchen, makes the most of the windows on both the east and south sides, letting sunlight in from dawn till dusk.
Fortunately, the apartment was still designated as a residential – rather than commercial – space, which saved Sara the effort and red tape of changing its use.
The boat-shaped living room, seen here from the kitchen, makes the most of the windows on both the east and south sides, letting sunlight in from dawn till dusk.
Every detail of the living room is designed to put guests at ease. Sara’s favourite spot for relaxing features a flamingo wallpaper that adds a touch of bold colour to the otherwise neutral space. She plans to put more plants in this corner soon.
Cube pendant light, Maisons du Monde.
Cube pendant light, Maisons du Monde.
Sara decorated the wall behind the dining table with enamel paint in a fresco technique.
Find local painters and decorators to help with your project in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
Find local painters and decorators to help with your project in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The two vintage Infinito bookcases, designed by Franco Albini for Cassina, date from the 1960s and once belonged to Sara’s grandmother. They’re just two of the vintage pieces in this space, along with the lamps, Singer sewing machine and a radio that had belonged to Sara’s father, who was an amateur radio operator.
One of the apartment’s most elegant features is its solid oak flooring, which has been laid in a herringbone pattern. Sara selected it to make up for the more casual feel of the rest of the furnishings.
One of the apartment’s most elegant features is its solid oak flooring, which has been laid in a herringbone pattern. Sara selected it to make up for the more casual feel of the rest of the furnishings.
This corner also offers sightlines into the rest of the home. The kitchen is partially partitioned. A wall that stops just short of the ceiling hides the kitchen from view and supports an iron worktop. Sara designed this one-of-a-kind piece and the iron hanging shelves above it herself.
A reinforced concrete column and beam were uncovered during the renovation. Sara decided to leave them exposed, introducing a very earthy, raw element into her clean-cut apartment.
A custom-made black marble worktop and a splashback made of geometric grey tiles add character.
Splashback tiles, FAP Ceramiche.
A custom-made black marble worktop and a splashback made of geometric grey tiles add character.
Splashback tiles, FAP Ceramiche.
There are two eye-catching features in the entrance hall: a tailor’s dummy and sliding doors – leading to the home office and the bathroom – that Sara salvaged from the renovation of a 1970s apartment. She repainted the doors white and hung them, barn-door style, from an iron rail.
The aim was to conceal these doors as much as possible. For this reason, “I avoided using traditional doors, choosing a barn-style design instead. [This allowed me to] emphasise the diagonal lines of the hallway by installing an iron rail that runs its entire length,” Sara says.
The aim was to conceal these doors as much as possible. For this reason, “I avoided using traditional doors, choosing a barn-style design instead. [This allowed me to] emphasise the diagonal lines of the hallway by installing an iron rail that runs its entire length,” Sara says.
Sara chose to limit the size of the bedroom to about 150 sq ft (14 sq m), in order to leave as much space as possible for the living room.
The wallpaper features a world map, a reference to Sara’s love of travel. The wall on the right has a built-in cupboard with sliding panels that never completely close off the space behind. In here, shelves and hangers, fixed simply to the wall, mean it can function as a large wardrobe.
The wallpaper features a world map, a reference to Sara’s love of travel. The wall on the right has a built-in cupboard with sliding panels that never completely close off the space behind. In here, shelves and hangers, fixed simply to the wall, mean it can function as a large wardrobe.
The about 43 sq ft (4 sq m) bathroom features two colours: The grey of the tiles – the same as in the kitchen – and the wood of the vanity unit top, which echoes the parquet.
The washing machine and a small storeroom are hidden in a built-in cupboard in the connecting area between the bathroom, bedroom and hallway.
The washing machine and a small storeroom are hidden in a built-in cupboard in the connecting area between the bathroom, bedroom and hallway.
Sara originally intended to make the office part of the living room, but ended up converting the space she’d earmarked into a cupboard. Instead, the office is now in this room just off the hallway.
This doesn’t mean that Sara doesn’t occasionally do some work in the kitchen, though, especially when she can take full advantage of the room’s abundant natural light.
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Tell us…
What do you think of this apartment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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Who lives here? Architect Sara Ranieri
Location Pigneto district, Rome, Italy
Size One bedroom and one bathroom; about 860 sq ft (80 sq m)
Year built Late 1950s
Renovation year 2017
Photos by Paolo Fusco
Stepping into Sara’s home, the care with which she’s selected colours, materials and furniture is immediately obvious.