Concept
The renovation of the Azabu apartment transforms a dated 1970s interior into a luminous, contemporary home that mirrors the client’s lively, sunny personality. The design opens up the original compartmentalized plan to create a fluid sequence from entrance to living, dining, and kitchen, allowing light and views to flow without obstruction. A palette of light neutrals, punctuated by vivid material accents, amplifies natural daylight and visually expands the rooms, balancing Japanese restraint with the tactile richness of Italian design.
The arrival experience sets the tone. A bespoke Tabu wood-veneer panel—crafted through fine marquetry—becomes an architectural “welcome,” adding depth, grain, and graphic precision to the vestibule. Opposite, a console by Studio Mosaico reinterprets traditional Italian mosaic in a contemporary key, underscoring the project’s cross-cultural dialogue and the client’s appreciation for artisanal craft. This pairing—intelligent veneer at the wall, artful mosaic at the touchpoint—defines the project’s attitude: refined, tactile, and quietly bold.
Across the public areas, CorkComfort eco-friendly cork flooring delivers a warm, resilient underfoot feel while improving both acoustic and thermal comfort—essential in dense urban living. Selected zones combine or transition with Bellezza surfaces for nuanced textural shifts that delineate functions without resorting to partitions. In the living room, a Londonart wallpaper animates a feature wall with elegant color and pattern, balanced by clean-lined furnishings to avoid visual overload.
Lighting is treated as both performance and poetry. Above the seating area, Artemide’s Chlorophilia acts as a bio-philic focal point—its optical leaves casting delicate caustic reflections on the ceiling to “expand” the space. In the more intimate areas and passages, Artemide Gople provides a soft, atmospheric glow that flatters materials and skin tones alike, supporting a calm evening ambience.
The furnishings curate comfort with a tailored edge. The BoConcept Santiago dining table anchors convivial gatherings, paired with Hamilton chairs for a balanced mix of poise and ergonomics. In the lounge, the I.D.V. sofa sits over a Furrow rug, establishing a textured island for reading and conversation; the Santiago coffee table echoes the dining table’s sculptural geometry for continuity. In the bedrooms, the refined practicality of the Lugano dresser and nightstand delivers quiet order, keeping surfaces clear and silhouettes calm.
Surfaces and finishes add architectural gravitas and tactility. In the kitchen, the backsplash shifts from subtle to expressive with Marazzi Lume Turquoise, whose handcrafted sheen brings a sense of movement to the light. The island and select horizontal planes are detailed with porcelain slabs in Calacatta Dorato and Roccia di Lucca (Granitifiandre), chosen for their veining clarity, durability, and easy maintenance. Feature nooks and thresholds explore stone-inspired finishes—All Marble Verde Cipollino for a classical, graphic note; Realstone Jerusalem (Ragno) for warm, stratified texture—composed sparingly to avoid visual noise.
Private spaces emphasize serenity and precision. The custom GiGi walk-in closet uses glass and aluminum to keep the volume visually light. Interior elements employ Cleaf Alpaca where a softer, fabric-inspired texture enhances the daily ritual of dressing. In the main bathroom, a JAXSON tub anchors a spa-like composition clad in Fiandre Luce Blu—a luminous, reflective surface that deepens the room’s perceived volume and introduces an aquatic chroma without overwhelming the senses.
Material transitions are carefully tuned to function. Wet-area surfaces prioritize durability and maintenance without compromising elegance. Joinery edges, reveals, and shadow lines are calibrated to read as one continuous language from entrance to night areas, ensuring that the home feels coherent as daylight shifts and programs change.
Overall, the project elevates everyday living through the intelligent interplay of plan, light, and material craft. Italian design culture—evident in the Tabu entrance panel, the Londonart wallpaper, the porcelain slabs by Granitifiandre, and the classic tonalities of Marazzi and Ragno—meets Japanese minimalism in a balanced, human-centered interior. The result is a bright, functional, and emotionally resonant home where each element—flooring, furniture, lighting, and finishes—contributes to a quietly sophisticated whole that reflects the owner’s character and supports a refined urban life.
