“Andrea, either we give this house a total make over or I’m going to sell it!”
This is music to the ears of an interior decorator: free rein and a world of possibilities!
The project that architect Andrea Benedetti of Panificio Architecture Workshop curated in Brescia started from an apartment with lots of potential that had many issues to solve at the outset. The living room was very small, there was nowhere to dine, the kitchen was large but not very functional, the bathroom was fitted with a bathtub which wasn’t in line with the client’s needs.
From need to design
Functionality isn’t the same for everyone; what may seem a mad choice for some may turn out to be a turning point for someone else.
That’s what some may think of this project that perfectly reflects the client’s requests. One of the bedrooms has become a large living room while what used to be the kitchen is now a walk-in wardrobe adjacent to the bedroom area.
The new plan has also changed the way the rooms are used: there is now a breakfast corner in the kitchen while the living room – which is now larger – is also a dining room.
The living area: why choose a fireplace with three glass sides ?
The new look of the flat in Brescia has done away with barriers between the kitchen and the living room areas, making the need for a design piece with a strong personality to emerge. Well then, why not privilege functionality?
The choice fell on a fireplace with three glass sides, i.e. a Ecomonoblocco 3D. Its fire – which can be seen and admired from anywhere – became the focal point of the room.
It’s even a smart project: the ducted firebox conveys heat to the bathroom and to the bedroom as well!
The outdoor air inlet and ventilation channels have been installed in the floor and discreetly integrated in the wall. This choice let the owners of this home install the fireplace even though they live in a block of flats.
Project by Andrea Benedetti Architetto • Panificio Architecture Workshop
ab.andrea.benedetti@gmail.com – 339 74 93 183 – @pnfc_architecture_workshop
