Japanese-style interiors

“I drew inspiration from Japanese interiors that use sliding partitions to create different spaces,” is how architect Alberta Pezzele describes her recent restyling project for a small apartment in Lugo di Romagna, in the province of Ravenna. The project came about from a chance meeting with the new owners and reflects their desire to introduce some original features into the home while at the same time removing a few unsightly and impractical elements that detracted from the overall harmony of the structure. The apartment had a long corridor leading from the entrance to the kitchenette and a living room interrupted by a protruding L-shaped fixture and illuminated by a single 80 cm wide French window. Additionally, the wall with the kitchen outlets was fitted with an air conditioning unit. With this layout it was difficult to come up with an original design for the interior. The architect therefore decided to reorganise the corridor space, enlarge the living room, allow more light to enter, and change the position of the air conditioning system. For this purpose, she adopted a Japanese-style partition with wooden slats along the corridor to accommodate the lighting and storage shelves that extend as far as the kitchen. “Like a box that contains cherished possessions, treasured objects and culinary treats while at the same time concealing them, it opens and closes by means of a series of sliding slats that allow light to filter through. With this slightly Japanese see-through partition effect, it can be opened for dining or closed to conceal the kitchen as required,” explains the architect. In the living room, the French window was replaced with a new fixture that also incorporates the terrace area. Finally, the air conditioning unit was mounted out of view in a false ceiling close to the entrance. The 20×120 cm Soleras collection of wood-effect ceramic tiles from ABK in the colour Avana was chosen for the floors. “The presence of an underfloor heating system prompted us to choose wood-effect ceramic tiles, which perform better in terms of heat induction while meeting the clients’ request for ease of maintenance,” Pezzele explains. Another key feature of this project is the use of handcrafted elements, such as the slatted structure and many other furnishing items which were custom made to fit in perfectly with the design of the home and the owners’ needs: the large oak wardrobe in the bedroom, which echoes the slat theme; the dining table made of reclaimed elm wood and a phosphate coated iron structure; the television stand made of reclaimed poplar wood with a rough edge and phosphate-coated iron inserts.