This Italian Apartment Offers a Contemporary Retreat with Traditional Views

Situated above an old-style Italian piazza, this apartment boasts a modern design and angular features. Recently renovated, it serves as a flexible pied-à-terre, designed to provide a comfortable and enjoyable retreat in the Piedmontese city. The open plan layout and sleek design make it an excellent choice for a relaxing getaway, offering stunning views of the traditional piazza and the picturesque countryside beyond.

Owned by a young entrepreneur from Cuneo, the 55 square-meter apartment has an enviable location, overlooking the Piazza San Paolo in Alba. Being near the historic area of the city, known for its food and wine, means that the apartment is very convenient to numerous clubs and restaurants. In the distance, the hilly Langhe area southeast of the Tanaro River creates a soothing landscape silhouette. In designing the renovation, tIPS Architects conceived of an open plan that devoted as much of the area to the living space as possible.

The single, multipurpose living area is oriented toward the piazza view, with the loggia off of the living room.

Half of the apartment’s surface area is dedicated to the open-plan concept, maximizing space with custom-designed furniture and cabinetry. The architects created the furniture as they designed each room, including a single, large element that extends to the entrance. All the doors in this unit reveal abundant storage, even in the kitchen corners.

The apartment’s layout creates a clear division, with the entrance integrated into the hallway and bathroom.

The living room follows a neutral color scheme, which suits this open-plan apartment. A built-in cabinet runs the length of one wall, with a flatscreen television as the focal point. Smaller artworks are hung on the other wall. Above the dining table, wire pendants create rounded silhouettes and cast interesting shadows on the ceiling.

Fixtures like these can be challenging, as they need to blend with the entire space. In this case, the pendants have a chubby, inflated look that harmonizes with the kitchen, dining area, and living room.

When arranging seating to enjoy a view, it’s important to position the sofa near a window, allowing for an open traffic pattern in the space.

One door in the black kitchen unit is the entrance to the bedroom, like a secret passage known as a “masterpiece of interior design.” This door maintains privacy and highlights the distinction between the two areas in the home. The bedroom is minimalist and compact to maximize living space in the apartment. Besides the bed and mirrored closet doors, a hanging bedside light, the Neuro by Davide Groppi for Flos, illuminates reading, and a small nightstand holds essentials.

The design has elements of discovery and illusion, creating an exhibition-like space with lighting that uses projectors and diffusers in the dropped ceiling tracks. The Flos track fixtures in the bedroom and bathroom were customized to provide appropriate lighting without being obtrusive.

The bathroom design was inspired by an old Genoese basin made from Carrara marble. The basin was part of the original kitchen in the apartment and was restored for use in the new bathroom. Instead of a traditional vanity, the designers created furniture that conforms to the shape of the basin.

Wall-mounted hardware highlights the old style, yet the overall look is modern.

Above the basin, a five-meter-long mirror makes the bathroom feel larger. This is enhanced because it reflects the glass shower wall.

This Italian apartment is a great example of how design can blend the traditional and modern styles in a super stylish way.