Marco Dellatorre designed this 5-meter-high loft in an old l factory in Milan. His goal was to pay homage to the original industrial use of the building while avoiding minimalism and preserving the open plan.
Dellatorre's love of experimenting with innovative materials and finishes is on full display in the living room. The glass stairs add an unexpected lightness, and he used oxidized copper films to achieve the appearance of the wall behind the sofa.
This home exemplifies what he means by an "Italian style loft:" it's open and fluid yet intimate, warm and seductive. That seductive warmth comes across loud and clear when you look down into the dining room. The concrete floor's been finished with epoxy resin mixed with powdered ls and its appearance is softened considerably.
Most of the leather furniture in this apartment is very dark, with the exception of a single red chaise next to the bookcase. "In the loft there is no physical separation between the rooms, but the zones, or rather, the functions, are characterized by materials and colors," he says. "In this case, inside the living room I wanted to 'narrow' the reading area with a chaise longue in a strong color contrast."
The second bathroom appears to have more vintage-appearing fixtures, a style not used elsewhere in the apartment.
"The guest bathroom is inspired by the Paris Metro," Dellatorre says. "In fact, we used the same tiles that can be found in the stations of the French capital. I like to use the combination of white ceramic and red 'Pompeii' [a color wash]. The fixtures and accessories are vintage, an homage to the retro mood. This is an isolated case in the loft, but always with a reference to the iron, the railway, the workshop."
The third bathroom shows a completely different style from the other two baths. "The client has a child who wanted to participate directly in the choice of the color of his bathroom. I was amused to involve him, and the result was so surprising and unexpected," Dellatorre says. "It seems to be in a paint factory where you can view all the Pantone colors all at once."
