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Houzz Tour: A Multipurpose Wooden Staircase Steals the Limelight
The centrepiece of this Italian home is a multifunctional staircase that partitions space and incorporates storage
Antonia Solari
1 June 2018
It’s not often that the staircase becomes the highlight of a renovation project, but this is exactly what happened in Trento, Italy, in a house designed by architects Elisa Burnazzi and Davide Feltrin. The owners, a couple with two children, wanted a comfortable and functional space in which custom-made furnishings would match pieces they had bought at antiques shops and markets. The architects responded with a design that privileges multi-functionality and stresses the connection between inside and out. They created an open layout that stretches over two floors, connected by a clever statement staircase that divides the space and makes room for storage.
Photos by Carlo Baroni
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two small children
Where: Trento, northern Italy
Size: Indoor space of about 95 square metres (1,022 square feet), outdoor space of about 47 square metres (505 square feet)
Year built: 2017
Architect: Burnazzi Feltrin Architetti
Cost: ₹ 67,75,500 (about $100,000) including the interior design, custom-made furniture and staircase.
The first floor houses all of the living areas and bedrooms. The staircase was the starting point for the whole design. “Because of the orientation of the attic, the staircase had to be placed in this position, and we designed it this way to be an integral part of the kitchen,” Burnazzi says. “On the kitchen side, it contains cupboards and the fridge, and it incorporates a shoe rack on the other side. It is tricky to make the space under a staircase multi-functional.”
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two small children
Where: Trento, northern Italy
Size: Indoor space of about 95 square metres (1,022 square feet), outdoor space of about 47 square metres (505 square feet)
Year built: 2017
Architect: Burnazzi Feltrin Architetti
Cost: ₹ 67,75,500 (about $100,000) including the interior design, custom-made furniture and staircase.
The first floor houses all of the living areas and bedrooms. The staircase was the starting point for the whole design. “Because of the orientation of the attic, the staircase had to be placed in this position, and we designed it this way to be an integral part of the kitchen,” Burnazzi says. “On the kitchen side, it contains cupboards and the fridge, and it incorporates a shoe rack on the other side. It is tricky to make the space under a staircase multi-functional.”
It is multifunctional in more ways than one: It also partitions the kitchen from the living room and acts as a striking architectural element, which maintains a dialogue with the various materials used throughout the house and between the two styles that informed the project: Natural and contemporary.
Take a look at these multifunctional furniture pieces for small homes
Take a look at these multifunctional furniture pieces for small homes
The property sits in the middle of orchards that stretch as far as the eye can see. The connection between the interior and the surrounding landscape therefore also influenced the design.
“We start all of our projects by observing the environment where we are going to work. We take the surrounding natural, agricultural or urban landscape as a reference,” Burnazzi says. “In this project, we blended two themes from the local landscape: Natural and man-made elements. The choice of synthetic materials such as the grey-brown resin floor hints at urbanisation. On the other hand, the use of wood is meant to reflect the natural landscape of the apple orchards that surround the property.”
“We start all of our projects by observing the environment where we are going to work. We take the surrounding natural, agricultural or urban landscape as a reference,” Burnazzi says. “In this project, we blended two themes from the local landscape: Natural and man-made elements. The choice of synthetic materials such as the grey-brown resin floor hints at urbanisation. On the other hand, the use of wood is meant to reflect the natural landscape of the apple orchards that surround the property.”
A third theme was to create a dialogue between the custom-made furniture that they designed and the furniture the family had bought at antiques shops and markets. “It’s an interesting question from a design standpoint, because we love mixing different styles and materials. Therefore, finding a way to match Scandinavian design elements from the ’50s with Arte Povera [a contemporary art movement from the 1960s that exalted quotidian materials] and contemporary furniture gave us the chance to bridge different locations and eras, like a journey through time and space without leaving the home,” Burnazzi says.
In the kitchen, for example, the custom-made cabinets and staircase sit alongside a Nordic-style table and chairs and Scandinavian-style upholstery.
Wondering what’s the best material for cabinets?
Wondering what’s the best material for cabinets?
The childrens’ and master bedrooms are next to the living area. Here, the grey-brown resin floor matches the warm hues of the oiled solid larch closet, which was a vintage find.
White is a strong presence; not only are the walls white, but also the bed frames, fabrics and the closet in the master bedroom. It makes a good contrast to the grey floor.
On the second floor, it is wood that dominates both the finishes and the furniture.
The second floor is used exclusively for relaxation, and wood was key to creating a warm and cozy feel.
Also in here, the inherited family chest of drawers coexists with modern accents and different styles, like the Scandinavian fabrics chosen for the pillows. At the end of the room is an area where plants are kept during colder weather. In spring and summer, they adorn the large terrace.
Learn how to display and style indoor plants
Learn how to display and style indoor plants
The 47 square metre (500 square foot) outdoor space is not just an addition to the living and relaxation areas but also a way to emphasise one of the main themes of the project: The close relationship between the architecture and the surrounding landscape.
Read more:
30 Incredible Staircase Designs Guaranteed to Impress
Tell us:
What did you like about this home? Tell us in the Comments below.
Read more:
30 Incredible Staircase Designs Guaranteed to Impress
Tell us:
What did you like about this home? Tell us in the Comments below.
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