Marco Polo apartment, by Carola Vannini Architecture
The Marco Polo apartment is the interior design project of a private residence located in the Aventino area of Rome. The house renovation by Carola Vannini Architecture – 120 sqm in all – included the complete reorganization of interior spaces, as well as the design of new furniture and lighting.
The day area is completely open, in order to create a light space with wide perspectives. The kitchen has been partially enclosed behind a green brick wall that doesn’t reach the ceiling, which preserves the perception of the continuing space. The wooden floor doesn’t stop against the walls, but folds into vertical surfaces and creates the kitchen on one side, and the bookshelves wall on the other side.
Most of the kitchen is visible from the open-space living room area, so a minimalist design was chosen to agree with the rest of the house’s style. In contrast, the night area is entirely private: a sliding door connects from the living area to the master bedroom, the guest bedroom/office, the walk in closet and the two bathrooms.
A mix of dark green kitchen wall, sofa and chairs; brown parquet and furniture; and white walls gives the overall space a quiet, relaxing feel. All details and furniture in the bathroom – shelves, wooden furniture, and decorative elements – have been designed by the architect. The black glass bathtub follows the geometrical lines of the space.
The folding floor of the master bedroom becomes bed and then wardrobe, while maintaining the impression of continuing space. In the kitchen too, the wooden floor folds and creates the wooden table that crosses the brick wall while becoming the long kitchen work-top.
The storage units under the worktop have a clean design: the handles are recessed in the doors and appliances are hidden by the dark wood doors. The wooden kitchen furniture hide its real functions: the doors conceal large cabinets, the green neon lights the worktop but also emphasises the space’s depth through a new green surface.
Photos: Filippo Vinardi