Casa Vetulonia
Rome. The nearby Aurelian Walls and the lush pine grove facing the apartment inspired the forms and palette of this project: a carefully composed balance of blush, earthy terracotta, and green, punctuated by vibrant accents of bordeaux, which reappear in various details throughout the home.
The original floor plan was completely reimagined: the living room and the master bedroom were swapped to privilege the terrace view, while the kitchen was moved into the living area, leaving space for the addition of a second bedroom.
An enclosed winter garden, conceived as a dining room, creates a threshold between indoors and outdoors. It opens onto the living and kitchen area—the true heart of the home. Here, a custom-designed wallpaper by Daniela Pinotti echoes the softness and volume of the surrounding nature, delineating the entrance wall and the bespoke kitchen, distinguished by its curvilinear bordeaux countertop.
A sliding partition, recalling the wallpaper’s silhouettes, leads to the sleeping quarters. The bedroom also overlooks the pine trees through a large “telescope” window. Glass with 1960s circular motifs, salvaged from one of the apartment’s original doors, was repurposed to create a visual continuity between day and night areas. The small-format oak parquet flooring alternates with a blush-toned herringbone porcelain in the winter garden.
The home’s sinuous lines merge seamlessly with the designer pieces selected by the architect for the interiors: the Guatemala marble coffee tables from Millim Studio’s Marbelicious series interact with a floral installation by Flovver, alongside wall artworks by Delphine Valli.
In the dining area, Alessandro Piangiamore’s piece from the series “Qualche uccello si perde nel cielo” (“Some Birds Are Lost in the Sky”) invites us to dream while gazing at the sky and the surrounding greenery, seated on Cesca chairs in Vienna straw around a custom round dining table designed by the architect.
Handcrafted ceramics by Madlen Ceramics further enrich the space.
Project by arch. Manuela Tognoli
www.manuelatognoli.com
Published on AD Italia – AD Germany – Elle Decor – Living Corriere – Yellowtrace – Magazif – Archello
Photography by Edi Solari
Working with Edi, who captures light, colour, and architectural shapes with a curious eye and an intelligent objective, has helped me in various occasions, to read the achievements of my projects in a new way: unexpected. In short, with the help of Edi, I discovered the quality of my work that I did not expect. This has brought value to my being as an architect under two points of view. The first, more immediate, is the one tied to having, at my hand, marvellous portraits of my homes, divided into overviews and details. The second, more important and profound, there has been a concrete tie between my project and the photography, that since the beginning, has generated emotions and finally, even a friendship. Edi is my photographer and she is also my friend. Choosing a good photographer is important, and I suggest you do it following not only the strict objective of professionality, but also using your emotions and the sentimental affinity with the person that you have chosen.