The city of Turin is like a noblewoman cloaked in discretion. Hidden behind the locked entrance doors along her city-center streets are many grand palazzi with timeless appeal. This is true of the 19th century Palazzo Conti Calloni, designed by architect Alessandro Antonelli, author of the much more well-known (and not too distant) Mole. Inside, a brilliant renovation by architect Fabio Fantolino transformed the former print shop into a private home for a family of four.
A far-sighted division of the spaces combines plenty of intimacy for family life with the need for larger rooms designed for socializing with friends. The living areas and bedrooms that look onto the private garden form a fluid succession of rooms that give the impression of a single architectural body, creating a clean visual effect. Unexpected juxtapositions of materials – concrete and laminate, marble and rare wood, along with obsessive attention to every construction detail – lend the design a distinct personality.
The Happy Hour armchairs, their elegant metal structure clad in saddle hide and soft tobacco-color leather cushions, create an idyllic reading spot. Alongside, is an essential Brig side table with curved lines and top in Calacatta Gold marble.
In the spacious living room, seating in warm earth tones is placed in front of the original bookcase custom-designed by Fantolino. Rust-color velvet upholstery lends a luxurious feel to the stand-alone Evergreen sofa, whose distinctive, elegant lines seem custom-made for the setting. Other furnishing pieces are clad in different materials and in various shades of brown – like the woven cowhide cord of the Peter armchairs and the rich Canaletto wood paired with Emperador marble in the Giano coffee table at the center of the room, or of the Jiff and Oliver side tables.
The masterfully measured use of color by Fantolino adds to the design’s personality quotient ‒ a palette that ranges from shades of petrol green to burnt brown and cream. The attached furnishings, like the wall paneling, bookcase and kitchen cabinetry are also based on designs by Fantolino, who admits he is fascinated by the soft shapes and influences of the 1970s.
The minimalist, refined silhouette of the Peter armchair echoes the elegance of the hand-woven cowhide cord in the seat and backrest.
A Gipsy table with Canaletto walnut structure and pine green glossy lacquered top fills the long dining room. It can also be used as a work table, thanks to the natural light that fills the room during most of the day, and to the comfortable Leda chairs, crafted to ensure luxurious comfort for hours on end.
Dressed for pure enjoyment of the open-air patio across from the bedroom area are the Echoes Outdoor small armchairs in an elegant woven straw-color cord.
Two Eddy chaise longues placed on the lawn can be used for sunning or simply for chatting in an outdoor oasis.
