Excerpt: Walnut White, a home interior project by PLUS ULTRA, showcases a luxurious atmosphere through a blend of materials, textures, and design elements. The design incorporates strategic spatial solutions to create a balanced environment, focusing on neutral tones and harmonious contrasts. Utilizing thoughtful materials and textures, the result is an elegant yet welcoming space with clear distinctions between sleeping and living areas.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] PLUS ULTRA studio recently completed the renovation of a 190 sqm penthouse within the former Borletti factory complex in Milan, Italy. The clients envisioned a home that balanced warmth and hospitality with the ability to host large gatherings, driving the project toward a refined yet homely atmosphere.
Without drastically altering the layout, strategic spatial solutions were introduced to create a balanced environment. The design emphasizes neutral tones with harmonious contrasts, alongside a thoughtful selection of materials and textures. The result is an elegant yet welcoming space, defined by clear distinctions between the sleeping and living areas. While the sleeping area is organized with precision and functionality, the living area maintains a fluid and continuous layout, providing flexibility and variety through careful spatial adjustments.
One of the key design elements is the careful manipulation of vertical space in the living room, which boasts significant height. To visually soften this, materials were layered from bottom to top: a dark wenge floor, light-colored wainscoting with minimal moldings, and a warmer tone on the intermediate section to display art, shelves, and decor. A brushed brass profile with integrated indirect lighting highlights the upper section, adding an elegant touch.
Transitional spaces, such as those between the living room, entrance, kitchen, and hallway, feature distinctive three-dimensional surfaces. A glass partition with walnut slats by Rimadesio separates the living room from the kitchen and sleeping area, creating a sense of visual continuity. The entrance is designed as a ribbed walnut-clad recess, incorporating a coat closet and other functional elements. The living room also opens to an east-facing terrace, extending the space outdoors during the warmer months.
In the kitchen, the choice of materials and colors complements the living area, fostering visual cohesion. A small dining space is adorned with Fornasetti’s Nuvolette wallpaper, which, with its subtle tones and intricate design, blends harmoniously with the overall project. Ceiling design was also a focal point in the renovation. The hallway ceiling features recessed areas with integrated lighting, while the master bedroom’s ceiling softens the room’s geometry, adding intimacy.
The bathrooms, like the rest of the penthouse, reflect the balance of homeliness and sophistication. The main bathroom is designed as a luxurious salle de bain, with finishes and components selected to exude contemporary elegance. Throughout the penthouse, the interplay of materials, textures, and design elements creates an atmosphere of understated luxury and comfort, perfectly aligning with the clients’ vision for their home.
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