Micro-Private Cosmos: CaosCalmo Apartment in Milan by A I M.

Milan-based creative studio Aim has transformed a home for a young family on the outskirts of Milan through three essential factors—natural materials, light and colour.

Instead of the open-space typology, preference was given to the creation of a sequence of well-defined spaces that can communicate with each other via full-height sliding doors integrated via custom-made furniture. The main living room, defined by geometric partitions in strong colours, can connect with the kitchen, separated by sliding glass doors and on the other side the secondary living room, a hybrid environment dedicated to study and leisure.

“The design response identified different environments, strongly characterised in terms of atmospheres, colours and materials; micro-private cosmos that can, if necessary, be put in communication with each other, to satisfy both the desire for privacy and conviviality,” the Aim team explains.

Ferguson Apartment in Glasgow by Almost Blue.

This former single-storey volume was given a brand-new mezzanine and services that are compact and efficient...

The kitchen has a mirror-covered wall unit neatly concealing the columns and appliances; the worktop, induction and sink are instead integrated underneath in a “suspended” beam in black-stained elm. On top, the bench and splashback are in Dover White marble, matching with the circular custom-made table.

In the living space, the monochromatic contrasts of the kitchen give way to colour. A black-stained elm, is combined with a green horizontal bench, finished in a glossy lacquer. The supersized wall unit clad in Ettore Sotsass’ famed flamed finish is a show off in the space, the outsize wall unit adjacent suggestive of an old fireplace.

“The grain of the wood, the reflections of the mirrored and lacquered walls, the graphic texture of the marble; the eye lingers on the different finishes and gets lost in the details,” Aim continues. “As in an impressionist painting, however, when we move our point of view away and embrace the entire composition with our gaze, we understand the sense of the whole: a controlled chaos in which each element assumes its own role within the whole.”

Off the main living room, the sleeping area is characterised by neutral tones and relaxed vibes, orchestrating once more a whole new atmosphere.

Drab to Delightful: An Apartment in Madrid by Febrero Studio.

Most days, the sun and the breeze are faithful visitors in this Madrid apartment, refreshing the farthest corners and lifting the space...

[Images courtesy of Aim. Photography by Simone Bossi.]