The inspiring painting
A very special painting inspired the project of the whole living room in terms of forms, materials and colours. Here is the story by its designer, Daniela.

“The painter was Celso Maggio Andreani, a deaf-mute restorer, born in Mantua in the earliest twentieth century. You can guess all his life in this silent, brilliant, amazing painting.

The picture itself is the portrait of the moonlight on a modern building facade, in the dark night of Milan sky. It is realistic and abstract at same time and – I think – at the highest level. It highlights the different surfaces of plaster on a wall and the effects of time on it.

Isn’t it astonishing how you can describe in a painting the way time is passing by in your life? Just think how difficult is to tell the same thing by words. That’s how the rich and deep meaning of this painting inspired the wall and the room around it.”

“We created a black frame made of thermo-treated oak for the painting. The horizontal splashes of colours which composed the painting inspired the rear panel of three glass boxes beside it. The blue of the sky, the red and the yellow of the store signs, the green of the rolling shutters below, became the main colors of the room.

On the right side a black column of leather frames up the composition of wooden shelves on the white wall (the Doric column by Adolf Loos for the Chicago Tribune Competition in 1922 always inspires us).

On the entrance wall the composition is a Mondrian-like scheme. A full width horizontal shelf divides the wall in two.

The upper part, a light green plastered background, is dedicated to showcase pictures, paintings and sculptures and hosts a big runner for the huge sliding door below.”

“A wide set of couches – Square Moore by Minotti – in the centre of the room divides it in two; the area in front of the fireplace for reading and talking; the one in front of the tv for watching and playing video games.

If you come in winter time, the sofas are dressed in dark grey velvet and have many different colored cushions, from boiled wool to fur.

During summer time they are completely dressed in white linen and a proper set of fresh fabric cushions matches them.

People underestimate how seasons are essential to help our sense of well being in the indoor and outdoor spaces.”

The sliding door
“The door panel has been mounted on site (because of the oversize dimensions it wouldn’t pass through the entrance door). It has been covered with a white sheet of rough canvas for painters and then painted on site with several layers of shade of different whites.

Behind the sliding door, the TV and wifi devices take place. Beside, the bookshelf is chock-full of books for both parents ad kids tastes. Having books so near in the living room helps the family to read more than usual.

In fact, the big sliding door opens two different scenarios: reading or watching TV this evening?”