MMA Projects House MD “The keyword is Bespoke”

Passion, first and foremost!  

The inclination for challenges and the knack for finding unique pieces have sparked imagination and created the emotion that gave birth to the idea of purchasing and renovating this apartment. 

Located in a neoclassical villa from the 18th century, owned by the Brivio Counts, with a beautiful park of ancient trees that instantly captivated the owner: it was a place she wanted to live in for a long time... 

Over two hundred and fifty square meters, spread across four levels and a loft, seamlessly blend minimalism in materials - wallpapers, wood paneling, designer furniture, and domestic intimacy - enhancing each other in a refined setting. 

Two years of passionate dedication by the MMA Projects studio, alternating between design and realization, were devoted to this residence in a fascinating process.  

An elegant and lively style in choices brought the various areas of the house to life. An example is the option of using oak parquet flooring in the kitchen, laid in a herringbone pattern in three different colors with brass inserts in contrast to the textured HD cement surface used throughout the rest of the house, but with different tones depending on the living or sleeping areas. This latter material is greatly loved and utilized in various other projects of the studio. 

The staircase positioned at the center of the house sets the tone for the flooring on various levels. As you ascend the floors, you are accompanied by the color of the finish, changing depending on whether you are in the living area in light grey, the master bedroom in total white, or the attic floor in dark grey. 

In the basement, the terracotta bricks forming the original barrel vault ceiling are strategically illuminated by a subtle strip of LED light, emphasizing their structure and enhancing the chromatic contrast with the cement floor. This harmoniously blends the historical values of the house with modernity. 

The challenge in this project was to create space, utilizing every available centimeter.

The attic floor was brought to life by lowering the entire first-floor ceiling by a meter, while the kitchen, originally on the ground floor, was positioned on the loft, allowing for an expansion of the living area and the creation of a guest bathroom on the same floor. 

This was made possible by the room heights, a characteristic of the building, and the meticulously handmade workmanship realized with the utmost care to avoid causing damage to the ancient structure. 

The wood paneling makes a robust statement, reaching its zenith with a French frieze chosen for the five-meter-high wall; Adorned with cascading fabric scarves connecting the loft, where the kitchen is located, to the living space, the texture and hues of the fabric elegantly mirror the herringbone pattern of the parquet floor. When looking from the loft you will see the custom-made Verpan pendant chandelier that illuminates both the living space and the kitchen. 

At the base of the wood paneling, a brass strip gracefully traverses the entire width of the room, defining the gypsum frames. This material is seamlessly integrated into the handle and plumbing fixture choices throughout the house.  

Concealing the elevator and the guest bathroom, another segment of wood paneling, applied to pivot doors or flush with the wall, adds a touch of discreet sophistication. 

With a theatrical ambiance, the guest bathroom is adorned with English wallpaper from the esteemed "Divinesavage" company. The cylindrical sink and floor mosaic, crafted from black Marquinia marble, showcase a geometric design with three distinct finishes -glossy, matte, and micro-striped. Expanding the spatial perception, a floor-to-ceiling mirror adds an illusion of depth. The burnished plumbing fixtures harmoniously align with the chromatic palette of the environment. A recurring detail found in all doors of the house is the brass handle, resembling a sleek line extending gracefully to the floor. 

​LOFT AREA/KITCHEN 

The ethereal and sinuous staircase leads to a glimpse where character-rich parquet serves as a backdrop against the gypsum wood paneling frieze, visible through the glass railing designed to facilitate dialogue. 

This space is conceived to be both functional and elegant. For the custom-made kitchen, precious textures and materials are employed: in crafting a tactile ensemble, black oil-stained cedar is used to maintain its natural fragrance and provide a natural sheen for the equipped wall. This wall can either remain accessible or be concealed behind disappearing doors. Brushed brass, adding a tactile quality, is used for the entire verticality of the work and socializing island, as well as for the spotlights that illuminate it. Born from a bespoke inclination, one of the most successful ensembles emerges: oak parquet stained in three colors—chocolate, black, and gray—laid in a herringbone pattern and adorned with brass strips forming geometric designs. The Calacatta marble for the oval Saarinen table is complemented by the powder blue hue of the Platner chairs, all from Knoll. 

The staircase circuit emphasizes the shift in color from light grey to white, leading us to the master bedroom area. This ethereal and refreshing space is accentuated by the brass handles and Jacquard fabric upholstery, where the foliage motif in bronze and grey colors is intricately woven directly into the fabric, intertwining warp and weft to form canopies reminiscent of the ancient trees in the external park. This level includes the master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom and an additional bedroom. 

Upon entering the master bedroom, the deliberate choice of total white is evident in the walls, floor, bed fabric, and nightstands. Only for the wardrobe crafted by Epole, a thoughtful combination of materials and shades was chosen to enhance the environment. The brass structure, leather coverings in celadon and white, bronzed glass, and mirrors. The wardrobe's uniqueness lies in the use of heavy sage green curtain fabric adorned with ton-sur-ton trim, chosen to replace traditional doors, adding character and movement with the fabric's folds. 

A sliding partition that separates the bedroom from the bathroom is distinctive for its brushed brass handle. When opened, it reveals a full-height mirror that enlarges the space. 

The total white theme continues in the bathroom with cement surface enveloping the shower walls. The custom-designed bathroom furniture by Alimonti is a parallelepiped in Bianco Thassos marble, resting on a satin brass structure engineered to bear its weight. A mirrored wall serves as a backdrop, reflecting the entire ensemble. 

The cross-wall adjacent to the mirror is a selection from the Alimonti Showroom—an expanse of Grigio Bardiglio marble with veins forming an almost perfect diamond. This slab, transitioning from dusty white to sugary blue, embodies the perfection of nature, inspiring the designer and providing energy for design ideas. 

The Agape bathtub in solid white stone is positioned in front of the Bardiglio wall, artfully illuminated, creating a picturesque scene. The relaxed atmosphere, complete with candles and oversized collector's perfume bottles, is complemented by a Liberty-style chandelier with adjustable lighting. 

Reaching the third level involves ascending the white staircase, which halfway up changes color once again to dark grey. This masculine tone is intended for the flooring of the attic floor dedicated to the twenty-year-old son of the homeowners. The Gervasoni bed in Blue Jeans fabric and the Zanotta Sacco in red serve as essential furnishings for the room. The 3-meter desk is crafted in a Perfect Combination white finish from HD Surface. 

Upon ascending the stairs, you face the room visually divided into two blocks by the bed's headboard. Like a horizon line, it separates the entirely white and luminous upper part, thanks to skylights covering almost the entire ceiling, from the lower part in shades of deep blue and grey. 

 The flooring from the bedroom extends into the bathroom, where the dynamic color cuts define the design peculiarity of the space. Slices of Azzurro, Blue Jeans, Dark Grey, and Light Grey, created with Cover, a product by HD Surface, clad the shower walls, part of the floor, and one wall. In this environment, it was crucial to balance the tones and dimensions of the design to create a playful yet elegant dialogue. The anthracite-colored bathroom furniture from Cielo complements the choice of plumbing fixtures, while the round-shaped mirror breaks the play of straight lines dominated by the prevailing color.