A home where nature permeates the space, delicately balancing architecture, silence, and light.
Overlooking the eastern shore of Lake Como, this 300-square-metre summer residence, spread over four levels, conveys an intimate and measured domestic narrative: a home designed for everyday living, yet one that preserves the slow rhythm and lightness of a holiday retreat.
In this carefully composed project, defined by a timeless and understated language, every detail is designed to engage with the lives of its inhabitants—welcoming and supporting them through bespoke wooden elements, iconic furnishings, curated artworks and generous natural light.
Pierattelli Architetture preserved the apartment’s original layout while enhancing the overall quality of the living experience. The shared intention with the client was to transform the apartment into a truly personal home, capable of blending everyday comfort with the atmosphere of a holiday retreat.
The architect responded with a project where nothing is left to chance and everything is built around the human dimension, quietly expressing a sense of understated elegance.
“Our architectural vision interprets the spaces and the dreams of the people we work with. In this case, the shared goal was to restore a sense of harmony and simplicity. That’s why we chose to work with neutral tones and warm materials, to create spaces that breathe and uncover new horizons,” explains Claudio Pierattelli.
The heart of the project revolves around the living space, which opens onto the lake through a large, floor-to-ceiling folding glass door. This mobile threshold extends the domestic space onto the covered terrace, creating a fluid and seamless connection between indoors and outdoors. Directly overlooking the lake, the terrace features an iroko wood deck complete with a pool, barbecue area, lounge seating, and aromatic plants. The pool, clad in twotone Marazzi ceramic tiles, suspended between the structure and the landscape, conveys a sense of luxury and wonder and transforms the outdoor space into a true domestic oasis.
The design of the interior follows the same bespoke approach. Honey-toned oak boiserie, custom designed by the firm, frame the living room and kitchen, this too with a bespoke design by architect, featuring Luce di Carrara white arabescato marble worktops and natural brass fixtures that will age gracefully over time, developing a unique and varied patina. By omitting upper cabinetry and integrating the appliances beneath the worktop, the design maintains a sense of openness despite the compact dimensions of the room.
The four-story layout respects the apartment’s original floorplan, while making it more functional. The fully renovated ground-floor entrance houses a compact and well-equipped gym with a combination of bespoke furnishings and technogym equipment. The first opens to the main living area, with a guest bedroom, kitchen/dining room, and lounge with terrace access. The second floor houses a master bedroom with a travertine-clad en suite and a second guest bedroom. Finally, the top floor reveals the Cigar Room, a cosy space that opens onto a small terrace, furnished with Cassina armchairs upholstered in Dedar fabrics, wooden blinds, and a bar unit with integrated hi-fi in the bookcase. Dark tones contribute to the lounge-like atmosphere, creating an intimate and immersive domestic setting.
The layout is clear, yet relaxed, designed to ensure both fluidity and comfort, with particular attention paid to natural light, which streams in through the large windows to define volumes and surfaces. The apartment’s new look reflects architect’s vision of interior design as a form of dialogue between function and atmosphere, between material and light. It is a domestic style of architecture that revolves around the inhabitants, leaving room for time, objects, and memories.
The project expresses itself through a constant dialogue between architecture, interior spaces, furniture, and art. Numerous works of art, carefully chosen by the client, both with the studio and independently, punctuate and characterise the spaces. The home welcomes a dynamic mix of both well-known and emerging artists, who contribute to the ever-changing visual narrative within the various environments.
Pieces from the leading names in Italian design are featured throughout the residence, conveying a simple and sophisticated taste, together with functional built-in elements designed by the architect, including wardrobes, boiserie, and bookcases with integrated indirect lighting systems.
“For us, it was essential to maintain an overall sense of harmony. Every piece of furniture was chosen to fit naturally and effortlessly into the space. Even the materials we selected reflect an aesthetic sensibility that values harmony over spectacle,” says Pierattelli.
The lighting design combines ambient lighting with spotlights and concealed fixtures to create a soft and relaxing atmosphere through the use of indirect illumination. Existing technical systems were retained and discreetly integrated into the furnishings, preserving visual continuity while keeping renovation costs under control. The overall result is elegant and welcoming, as well as free of excessive ornamentation so that one’s attention is drawn to the artwork throughout the home and, of course, to the central element of the design: the lake.
See more images in the gallery below
Studio: Pierattelli Architetture
Area: 300 sqm
Photographer: Thomas Pagani
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