Italian Apartment Renovation Brings Open Space to 1960s Home

Taking over an older space in lieu of building a fresh new one is a bold choice. But in historical, densely populated areas like this neighborhood in Pisa, there is hardly a chance to build something brand new.

Instead, the owners of this 1960s apartment decided to completely renovate the space, in collaboration with Massimo Florido Associati and Marta Mendez Salicio. The architects have suggested that the resulting apartment is intended to "meditate on empty space." The clean, modern lines of everything from the natural hardwood flooring to the contemporary furnishings from designer sundaymorning, stack themselves around the empty spaces of the home.

The main living area is the “day” area of the apartment, proving space for entertaining, relaxing, cooking, and eating. The design here is the height of simplicity, even going so far as to avoid hanging anything on the walls. Instead, art is propped up on the ground and the television is hidden in a custom wood cabinet. The sofas are arranged around the entrance to the home, making the flow from visitor to guest seamless.

Although the floorplan is ultimately open, the kitchen is a separate, defined block of space, starting with a separation in the material of the flooring. The cabinetry is made from gray lacquered ash while the island countertop is covered in Carrara white marble – both luxurious and practical. Behind the gray ash are a series of hidden service rooms, giving the dark walls their own function.

The gray color also serves to separate the kitchen space from the living and dining areas, which are bright and white. The white dining table and chairs are easily integrated into the more boisterous living space.

A doorway becomes the passage to the “night” area of the home, though there is no door. This lets people and energy pass through as they might. The bedroom is extremely simple with the same wooden flooring and a white paneled closet.

Two bathrooms, one done in black tile and another in white, complete the renovation. Wooden slats on the floor of the shower allow for easy drainage and a comfortable morning shower, even on cold days.