In Milan, even the smallest apartments can contain an entire encyclopedia of contemporary aesthetics: the materials, the tension between function and imagination, the pleasure of the unexpected. Arianna Lelli Mami, who founded the multidisciplinary Studiopepe with Chiara Di Pinto, knows this well. She has transformed such a space in the heart of the city into a home where past and present co-exist.
It’s located just steps from Porta Garibaldi, in a neighbourhood Arianna has always been closely attached to. ‘I lived in the same building with my family, in a larger house. This apartment, however, was my partner’s studio for years.’ The space in question sits on the third floor of the rationalist property – a place left gloriously untouched by time and developers. Arianna’s mission was to blend that history with the beauty of the present.
Inspiration came from original cement tiles that Arianna chose to restore. ‘They became the leitmotif for the home’s colour palette,’ she explains. ‘We also liked the idea of working on the ceilings, drawing inspiration from Gio Ponti by considering them not as a neutral surface, but as an active element.’
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The block of colour that extends from them down the walls creates what she calls a ‘chromatic shell’, enveloping everything to make the space warm and welcoming. The remainder of the walls, on the other hand, are lighter and brighter. The idea is to mix patterns and colours to achieve a certain alchemy: ‘It’s a bold vision, yet consistent with our language,’ she adds.
The magic of the project is evident in the furnishings, with pieces by masters and accessories designed by Studiopepe blended in a comfortable dialogue. Several of the decorative decisions were informed by vintage pieces Arianna purchased during the process. One is the wooden wardrobe from the 1930s or 40s and sealed with a wax finish – ‘It would be impossible to make one like that today,’ Arianna notes. ‘It gave us the idea of a home with rationalist touches.’
It is the bistro table in the lounge, with its beautiful red-marble top, that inspired the use of burgundy for the ceilings – a colour that also appears on the tiled floors and as details in the bathroom and kitchen. Deeply personal, the interior is also scattered with small sculptures created by Arianna and images by her partner Andrea Ferrari (the photographer for this feature). ‘The house is an emotional refuge, an archive of the things we both love, of our work,’ explains Arianna. A small Milanese gem that truly captures the balance between rigour and poetry, past and present. studiopepe.info
