Houzz Tour: Aesthetics on a Budget in Turin, Italy
A converted attic combines thoughtful design with innovative materials
Turin, Italy, capital of the Piedmont region and the historic heart of Italy, is an elegant, evolving city where designs both ancient and modern are on display. Its urban center, lined with regal and imposing buildings, is surrounded by the beauty of the Alps, and it’s in this setting that architectural firm Unduo Laboratorio di Architettura transformed an attic into a comfortable space that combines practicality, beauty and Mediterranean style within the budget constraints of a young family.
The project incorporated all aspects of interior design, from the composition and distribution of space to the creation of furniture to the choices of materials and finishes — all of which had to adhere to a strict budget. In fact, the limited budget was what inspired the idea of experimenting with unconventional materials, such as viroc. This inexpensive industrial material is a composite of wood particles and resin cement. Relatively unknown in Italy (in this case, it was imported from Portugal), viroc is generally used in building facades. Here it’s been used to cover the kitchen surfaces and to create some of the furniture, including bookcases.
The light that streams in from the large windows and skylights is emphasized by numerous white elements, chosen by the architects to counteract the heaviness of the wood. Even the ceiling beams were painted in lighter shades, creating color consistency and balance among the surfaces.
The apartment’s new layout revolves around the large central partition, painted a rich brown. The flooring, an oak parquet finished in a honey hue, is a continuous, homogenous surface. It’s interrupted only by the kitchen, where a “carpet” of buffed concrete treated with a protective agent contains the appliances. The oak flooring is functional as well as chromatically compatible with the viroc, a successful cohesion between cold and warm materials.
Much of the furniture was custom-designed, including the kitchen pieces — from the viroc panels to the painted majolica tiles by Made a Mano, a company based in Caltagirone, Sicily, that reproduces traditional designs. The tiles used here are from the Novecento series. The stove is by Franke, the sink and faucet by Foster. The refrigerator, oven and dishwasher are Bosch.
In addition to the brown of the dividing wall, three complementary shades of blue were used to interrupt the prevalence of white. The shades were chosen by the owners and developed with a color consultant.
The custom bookcase, slim and simple, contrasts with the solid kitchen block. Viroc was used here as well; in fact, the shelves were made entirely from leftover kitchen materials. The case was designed and built by Paolo Delponte, one of the partners of Unduo Laboratorio di Architettura, the architects on the project. The firm often conceives, designs and sometimes builds the furnishings in their homes.
The only structural element original to the historic building is the tall, thick dividing wall. Within it are the ventilation pipes of every apartment in the building, and the architects used this backbone of the edifice as the centerpiece of the apartment’s new layout. The color choice wasn’t random: The brown signals the wall’s importance to the building.
The bathrooms feature a fascinating mix of materials. The master’s colorful, high-quality elements include a custom-designed shower and sink wall covered in Iris1 painted ceramic tile by Ceramica Bardelli. These eye-catching tiles were designed by Marcel Wanders for the Lombard brand. The toilet and bidet are from the Connect series by Ideal Standard, and the sink is from Pozzi-Ginori’s 500 series.
In the smaller bathroom, viroc is again used, this time as the wall behind the sink. It’s a highly practical choice given its impermeability and washability.
As Angela Tomasello, one of the architects, told us: “Our clientele is very young, often purchasing their first homes, with high expectations but limited funds. Our mission is to do optimal work while keeping costs down. That is why we are always looking for expressive pieces and materials — without ridiculous prices.” For this reason, the custom furniture is side by side with low-cost solutions, such as the Ikea wardrobe that inhabits the bedroom. As in all the rooms, white reigns supreme.
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Houzz at a glance
Who lives here: A young professional couple and their two small children
Where: Turin, Italy
Year built: Early 1900s
Year renovated: 2012-13
Architect: Unduo Laboratorio di Architettura with architect Andrea Zanero
Size: 1,506 square feet (140 square meters)
The apartment was created by renovating the building’s attic space, formerly a loft, into a livable state.