Fabio Cipriano and Emanuela Carratoni of CAFElab Architectural Studio created this bold and beautiful apartment renovation in the Appia Antica Park located in Rome, Italy. The original layout was a 1970’s throw back that was not working for the young family that had purchased it. They envisioned a bright and friendly atmosphere that would work both for them and their child. The renovation included running raw oak plank flooring throughout the home, wrapping the walls in white and then punching it up with bold colour including ancient red as the dominant colour and “fil rouge” red, emerald and lime green used in tiles. Dropped ceilings where used extensively to incorporate lighting while at the same time being non-invasive to the overall design aesthetic.
When you first enter the apartment there is a small closet just around the corner from the entry hall. A dropped ceiling follows the hallway and wraps around the closet and down the hall to the bathroom and Bedroom wing. The ceiling has a light track wrapping around an L shaped crevice coloured in black for dramatic effect.
The closet has been converted into a small home office complete with under lit shelves and desktop. Between the under lit shelving and the track in the ceiling, this office space is well lit and perfect for a computer station.
Across the room opposite the hidden office are windows on either side of a fireplace that has been modernized with a black façade and stone surround. Here, too, a small dropped ceiling runs across the bay created by the two windows and fireplace and a second, similar crevice holds a track of 3 spot lights. A veritcle low profile radiator runs the height of the small wall that separates the living and dining areas.
