Small-Space Living: A Transforming Apartment in Milan, Italy

Photography by Francesca Iovene, courtesy of Casatibuonsante Architects

Milan is a city rife with hidden beauty, especially where living spaces are concerned. Behind even the most banal of street-front entrances might be a courtyard planted with bergamot trees, or a marble-paved lobby. The same sleight-of-hand comes into play in a new apartment renovated by the young Milanese team of Casatibuonsante Architects. Come with us on a tour.

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Casatibuonsante's big move was to build a freestanding module that replaces the dividing wall between the kitchen and living/sleeping space.

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The radiators and windows with pulley blinds are original to the building.

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The new bedroom features an oak-veneered platform.

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Heavy silk curtains seal off the elevated bedroom from public view.

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An orderly arrangement of books is displayed on recessed shelving.

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Two sets of double doors access storage for clothes and bedding.

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The doors can be opened simultaneously.

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The closet interior is covered with paper-backed canvas.

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Hexagonal tiles were chosen to echo the materials traditionally used in Milan's 20th-century buildings.

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