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Alvisi Kirimoto designs artist's loft overlooking the Colosseum.

Living room. The Michetta sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia; Gloss lacquered cylinder coffee table by MIA; Tray table coffee table by HAY; Mantis floor lamp by DCW; Waste coffee cube in scrapwood by Piet Hein Eek; Showtime White Vase by BD Barcelona; cushions Harmony Textile; small cushion by Beatrice Laval for Le monde Sauvage. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

In a secluded street in the heart of Rome, Alvisi Kirimoto completes the house-atelier of an Italian artist on the top two floors of a bijou building between the slopes of Colle Oppio and the Colosseum.

The owner's request was to change the general image of the apartment and improve its distribution, freeing up the view of the Colosseum and keeping the number of rooms unchanged in order to accommodate the many friends who regularly visit her.

The attic and super attic (penthouse) were characterised by a labyrinthine circulation, limited by the absence of an internal staircase besides that of the condominium, by continuous height differences and by spaces fragmented by an invasive load-bearing structure — all signs of superfetational architecture typical of the 1960s.

To make the organisation of the spaces more fluid, the architects introduced an entrance hall, in which a semi-transparent wing of custom-made glass doors guarantees maximum permeability. With a wengé wood profile and handles in the form of shaped buttons in the same material, the doors are embellished with a layer of linen placed inside the glass. As a result, the light filters into the blind heart of the house, enhancing its sensory experience.

Studio. Dusk Dawn floor lamp by Ghidini 1961; wall bookcase with wengé wood veneer custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; Clay Dining Chair and Plain Clay Consolle with drawer by Maarten Baas; Better Together collection vase by Federica Bubani with paper flowers by Andrea Merendi; Vox Populi paperweight; lacquered ceramic sphere by Bosa; wallpaper by Metamorphosi; original bronze fireplace with painted wood sculptures by Giuseppe Palermo. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Studio. Dusk Dawn floor lamp by Ghidini 1961; wall bookcase with wengé wood veneer custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; Clay Dining Chair and Plain Clay Consolle with drawer by Maarten Baas; Better Together collection vase by Federica Bubani with paper flowers by Andrea Merendi; Vox Populi paperweight; lacquered ceramic sphere by Bosa; wallpaper by Metamorphosi; original bronze fireplace with painted wood sculptures by Giuseppe Palermo. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Living room. The Michetta sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia; Gloss lacquered cylinder coffee table by MIA; Tray table coffee table by HAY; Mantis floor lamp by DCW; Waste coffee cube in scrapwood by Piet Hein Eek; Showtime White Vase by BD Barcelona; cushions Harmony Textile; small cushion by Beatrice Laval for Le monde Sauvage. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Living room. The Michetta sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia; Gloss lacquered cylinder coffee table by MIA; Tray table coffee table by HAY; Mantis floor lamp by DCW; Waste coffee cube in scrapwood by Piet Hein Eek; Showtime White Vase by BD Barcelona; cushions Harmony Textile; small cushion by Beatrice Laval for Le monde Sauvage. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Bedroom. Arctic Rock dressoir by JSPR; Pendule clock by Papier à étres for Serax; Kalff studio candelabra; Mio table lamp by Aldo Cibic by Ghidini 1961; Randaccio mirror by Gio Ponti by Gubi; original marble fireplace with lacquered ceramic sphere by Bosa and Fish vase design Gaetano Pesce; Flowers coffee table by Ghidini 1961 in copper; Maze stool by Dirk Vander Kooij; Morris Plaid by L’Arcolaio; Vanly beige plaid by Harmony; wardrobes custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Bedroom. Arctic Rock dressoir by JSPR; Pendule clock by Papier à étres for Serax; Kalff studio candelabra; Mio table lamp by Aldo Cibic by Ghidini 1961; Randaccio mirror by Gio Ponti by Gubi; original marble fireplace with lacquered ceramic sphere by Bosa and Fish vase design Gaetano Pesce; Flowers coffee table by Ghidini 1961 in copper; Maze stool by Dirk Vander Kooij; Morris Plaid by L’Arcolaio; Vanly beige plaid by Harmony; wardrobes custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Bedroom. Arctic Rock dressoir by JSPR; Pendule clock by Papier à étres for Serax; Kalff studio candelabra; Mio table lamp by Aldo Cibic by Ghidini 1961; Randaccio mirror by Gio Ponti by Gubi; original marble fireplace with lacquered ceramic sphere by Bosa and Fish vase design Gaetano Pesce; Flowers coffee table by Ghidini 1961 in copper; Maze stool by Dirk Vander Kooij; Morris Plaid by L’Arcolaio; Vanly beige plaid by Harmony; wardrobes custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Bedroom. Arctic Rock dressoir by JSPR; Pendule clock by Papier à étres for Serax; Kalff studio candelabra; Mio table lamp by Aldo Cibic by Ghidini 1961; Randaccio mirror by Gio Ponti by Gubi; original marble fireplace with lacquered ceramic sphere by Bosa and Fish vase design Gaetano Pesce; Flowers coffee table by Ghidini 1961 in copper; Maze stool by Dirk Vander Kooij; Morris Plaid by L’Arcolaio; Vanly beige plaid by Harmony; wardrobes custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Dressing room. Clay Bench by Maarten Baas; wardrobes custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Dressing room. Clay Bench by Maarten Baas; wardrobes custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

A new naval-inspired staircase has been created with a single block of wengé wood, lightened by an elegant crystal handrail. In an asymmetrical position, adjacent to a band that houses the service rooms, the staircase yields to a more reserved wing of the house, leading from the dressing room with custom-made wardrobes to the artist's bedroom, featuring an original fireplace with a marble profile. A corridor parallel to the side balcony overlooking the Colosseum leads to the dressing table and bathroom, where the powder pink shades evoke the elegance of the 1930s colours.

The opposite wing of the house, in visual connection with the dressing room, hosts the studio-atelier, which opens onto a second side balcony and gives external access to the upper floor. With a terracotta floor and luxuriant flower boxes in the same material, it blends chromatically with the tiles of the Roman roofs. A true refuge for the artist, the studio features a custom designed wall bookcase with a metal structure and wengé wood veneer, which frames a second original bronze fireplace.

The floor plan is completed by an independent rib dedicated to guests, separated by a door in wengé wood slats, in harmony with the stairwell. Inside, a sky-blue bathroom and a double-height double bedroom featuring another tailor-made wall bookcase. Everything is custom designed by the studio:

"My work is opposed to the idea of standardisation. It aims to go beyond the surface, straight to the soul of things. Each element is unique and designed ad hoc for my client, for the house in which it is located and for the lifestyle that I imagine inside it. The project is very personal, even the eccentric furnishings are the result of a table-tennis match between me and the artist, who owns the house. Some are part of her collection, others we have chosen together. It encapsulates the idea of giving lightness, colour, in some cases also to amaze guests and welcome them with a smile". - explains Junko Kirimoto, co-founder of the studio

Guest bedroom. Wall bookcase with wengé wood veneer custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi; ceiling lights Le Perroquet by IGuzzini; Pendule clock by Papier à étres for Serax; Fish vase design Gaetano Pesce. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Guest bedroom. Wall bookcase with wengé wood veneer custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi; ceiling lights Le Perroquet by IGuzzini; Pendule clock by Papier à étres for Serax; Fish vase design Gaetano Pesce. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Guest bedroom. Wall bookcase with wengé wood veneer custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi; ceiling lights Le Perroquet by IGuzzini; Pendule clock by Papier à étres for Serax; Fish vase design Gaetano Pesce. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Guest bedroom. Wall bookcase with wengé wood veneer custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi; ceiling lights Le Perroquet by IGuzzini; Pendule clock by Papier à étres for Serax; Fish vase design Gaetano Pesce. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Studio. Dusk Dawn floor lamp by Ghidini 1961; wall bookcase with wengé wood veneer custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; Clay Dining Chair and Plain Clay Consolle with drawer by Maarten Baas; Better Together collection vase by Federica Bubani with paper flowers by Andrea Merendi; Vox Populi paperweight; lacquered ceramic sphere by Bosa; wallpaper by Metamorphosi; original bronze fireplace with painted wood sculptures by Giuseppe Palermo. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Studio. Dusk Dawn floor lamp by Ghidini 1961; wall bookcase with wengé wood veneer custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; Clay Dining Chair and Plain Clay Consolle with drawer by Maarten Baas; Better Together collection vase by Federica Bubani with paper flowers by Andrea Merendi; Vox Populi paperweight; lacquered ceramic sphere by Bosa; wallpaper by Metamorphosi; original bronze fireplace with painted wood sculptures by Giuseppe Palermo. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Detail. Wallpaper by Metamorphosi; Wengé wood handle custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Detail. Wallpaper by Metamorphosi; Wengé wood handle custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

The refined wallpapers define the different moods of the rooms. Each space is treated as if it were a scenario in and of itself, creating unusual perspectives. Bright brushstrokes and floral patterns envelop the rooms that interact with the outside, meticulous Japanese-inspired motifs decorate the guest room, while discreet patterns and soft colours give character to the top floor, where the view prevails.

A sartorial approach, a meticulous cut and sew, and a careful choice of textures, colours and materials, guided the entire design, including the bathrooms: elements such as sinks, shower trays, and tubs in unique blocks of precious marble have been hand-drawn by Junko Kirimoto.

The wengé wood parquet extends throughout the entire house, and continues on the upper floor, which houses a service bathroom and the greatly enlarged kitchen. A counter separates the area reserved for lunch from that dedicated to the preparation of meals, which features a fully equipped piece of furniture covered in wengé wood with top and back made with single blocks of considerable size in Carrara marble.

Two glazed doors with linen weave give access to a large open space, freed from the multiple pillars that once cluttered it. A major structural intervention has allowed the total refurbishment of the roof, now in white painted wooden trusses, in order not to distract attention from the panorama. A system of ribbon windows accompanies us from the most intimate dimension of the lower floor to the more extroverted dimension of the top floor. The series of differences in height that originally regulated the screed has been absorbed by a central platform in wengé wood that houses the living area, and which functions as a raised podium that projects the gaze outwards.

Staircase. Wengé wood door and staircase with crystal handrail custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Staircase. Wengé wood door and staircase with crystal handrail custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Guest bedroom. Wall bookcase with wengé wood veneer custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi; ceiling lights Le Perroquet by IGuzzini; Pendule clock by Papier à étres for Serax; Fish vase design Gaetano Pesce. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Guest bedroom. Wall bookcase with wengé wood veneer custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; wallpaper by Metamorphosi; ceiling lights Le Perroquet by IGuzzini; Pendule clock by Papier à étres for Serax; Fish vase design Gaetano Pesce. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Bathroom. Marble sink and shower tray custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; ceiling lights Mini Glo-Ball by Flos; Feel ceramic diffuser by Federica Bubani; ceramic plates by Giuseppe Palermo. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Bathroom. Marble sink and shower tray custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; ceiling lights Mini Glo-Ball by Flos; Feel ceramic diffuser by Federica Bubani; ceramic plates by Giuseppe Palermo. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Kitchen. Spillo white table ø128 by Extendo; Meo centerpiece by Antonino Sciortino for Serax; Ceramic Facet Jug Vase by Piet Hein Eek; Ironica chairs by Ton; ceiling light PH5 by Louis Poulsen; kitchen with marble top custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; Wallpaper by Metamorphosi. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Kitchen. Spillo white table ø128 by Extendo; Meo centerpiece by Antonino Sciortino for Serax; Ceramic Facet Jug Vase by Piet Hein Eek; Ironica chairs by Ton; ceiling light PH5 by Louis Poulsen; kitchen with marble top custom designed by Alvisi Kirimoto; Wallpaper by Metamorphosi. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Living room. The Michetta sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia; Tray table coffee table by HAY. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

Living room. The Michetta sofa by Gaetano Pesce for Meritalia; Tray table coffee table by HAY. ©Serena Eller Vainicher

The colourful and irreverent furnishings, starting with Gaetano Pesce's Michetta for Meritalia, were chosen to balance the monumentality of the historical context. Two side niches host more intimate areas, while on the side of the platform, the dining table, in a more secluded position, stands out against the Altare della Patria. A system of terraces accessible from an external wrought iron staircase offers a 360° view of Rome.

Tailored settings, refined details, ironic furnishings: a few strategic elements re-design the personality of a loft. Alvisi Kirimoto achieves the goal by combining the domestic sphere and the urban dimension, romantic atmospheres and contemporary features.