Meow Meow

Imagine a summer escape on the Mediterranean coast, where every square foot counts, and design magic transforms limitation into luxury. Welcome to Varazze, a charming old town in Liguria, Italy, famous for its sandy beaches, historic churches, and as a popular destination for tourists, only a couple of hours from Milan. Here, in a building constructed in the 1940s and recently renovated, a 49-square-meter (527-square-foot) attic apartment stands as a testament to intelligent, flexible design.

An Italian architect, specializing in interior and furniture design with a keen interest in multifunctional and flexible spaces, took on the challenge of transforming what was originally one large studio with a bathroom into a dynamic holiday home. The client’s vision was clear: an apartment that could comfortably host two to four people, offering both shared spaces and vital privacy. The architect’s brilliant solution? “To use a few defined multifunctional architecture elements with the purpose of maximizing the space”.

Unlocking Space with Clever Architecture

The core of this transformation lies in one remarkable, custom-made furniture piece. Positioned precisely in the middle of the apartment’s entrance, this architectural element acts as a seamless divider, separating the bedroom from the rest of the living space. It’s more than just a partition; it integrates multiple functions, showcasing how bespoke design can revolutionize small footprints.

Upon entering, you’re greeted by a generous lobby that connects directly to a balcony, offering fantastic views over the Mediterranean Sea. This space cleverly conceals a multifunctional table from a company called Clay, featuring a rotating mechanism and a clever opening system. When closed, it maintains an open, airy feel; when open, it instantly transforms the lobby into a functional dining room.

A Living Area That Adapts to You

The living area itself is a marvel of adaptable design. Bathed in natural light from a strategically placed skylight, it feels both cozy and bright. Two key elements define this space:

• A lower, white lacquered furniture unit tucked beneath the pitch roof serves as a TV rack, offers ample storage, and even includes a bar – perfect for entertaining.
• Opposite this, a dynamic wall truly steals the show. It seamlessly integrates storage, elegant walnut bookshelves, and a genius fall-down transforming double bed. This system ensures that by day, guests enjoy a spacious living area, and by night, a real double bed is “always ready to be used”. The bed’s operation is remarkably simple: a handle on the front shelf allows for quick opening, with the shelf pivoting to become a stable bed support, meaning you don’t even need to remove objects from it.

Integrated Functionality Throughout

The apartment’s design continues to impress with its thoughtful integration of necessities. The kitchen is a full-height block, designed to follow the lines of the pitched roof, and is fully equipped with a refrigerator, hot plate, oven, and dishwasher. Its white lacquer doors conceal abundant storage space, maintaining a sleek, uncluttered aesthetic.

Even the most challenging areas were transformed. The sleeping room, described as the most complicated due to the meeting point of two pitched roofs, still manages to house a king-sized bed with storage underneath. A lower block at the end of the roof line provides additional storage and a TV rack. The wardrobe forms the back part of that central dividing furniture piece.

The bathroom, accessed through a sliding door, features light finishings and also benefits from a skylight and a large mirror, both contributing to an enlarged sense of space. A built-in basin cleverly conceals a washing machine underneath.

Cohesion and Light for an Expansive Feel

Throughout the entire apartment, continuity is key. Bleached oak flooring unifies the spaces, and the architect skillfully used indirect lighting to highlight the architectural structure, complemented by numerous small spotlights. A floor-to-ceiling mirror at the end of the corridor, positioned between the bathroom and bedroom doors, further amplifies the prospective space, making the apartment feel larger than its square meters suggest.

This project powerfully demonstrates that “good design allows you to experience a small unit not as a compromise but as a lifestyle choice”. By integrating multifunctional and flexible solutions, this seaside apartment maximizes its potential, proving that your square meters never have to limit either the aesthetic appeal or the functional possibilities of your home.