RITA SCARPINATO’S DREAM LOFT

A few days ago, we returned to Malo to find the extravagant Rita Scarpinato, who showed us her neighbours, Chiara, Fabio and their basset, Ziggy, tenants of a marvellous loft designed and decorated by her. We were deliciously stupefied by this home that features warm wood and precise design.

When we step inside Chiara and Fabio’s loft, we enter a place where everything is tidy and precise, where no element is out of place. One immediately notices they’re in a sophisticated and yet very welcoming flat.

The sloped ceiling with visible wooden beams is painted white, giving the flat a modern look, while the great dormer windows always let in a soft, warm light. When it’s raining outside, the sound of raindrops pattering on the skylight is miraculously relaxing for Ziggy, the lucky basset that has been with this young couple for many years.

The living-room with visible kitchen is very interesting: the peninsula is linear and carefully made, the countertop is made of marble, and the choice of induction stove and built-in suction hood is really effective. The pantry, the table and the wooden chairs with natural finishing are all perfectly at home in this area, masterfully matching the sober style of the rest of the furniture.

A core part of the home is the corner fireplace: with its asymmetric position and its decisive, striking aesthetics, it’s surely the most significant decorative element.

The living-room is separated from the sleeping quarters by a marvellous glass panel with iron frame, remindful of the conservatoires found in gardens between the 19th and the 20th centuries. This element allows light to penetrate all rooms and is therefore very functional for the well-being and the growth of the numerous plants that add a touch of colour to the loft, itself characterised by more neutral colours. Sweet Ziggy often seeks some privacy in this little corner, safe and away from the noise produced by guests!

Next to the balcony there is a small square table, with two matching iron chairs with square tubular structure: the overall result is an industrial look, with the exception of the detail provided by the two vintage-looking leather belts that hold the cushion-back of the chairs in place.

A perfect home is recognised by its details, a reflection of the passions and memories of those who inhabit it. The good taste with which it was decorated is observed in the various design objects: worthy of note here are three wall lights by Lucellino on the living-room wall, an iconic piece by Ingo Maurer, and the floor lamps by light designer Paolo Donadello; in the kitchen, the two Fornasetti vases depicting variations of the face of opera singer Lina Cavalieri and the Love in Bloom heart-shaped vase by Seletti certainly can’t be ignored.

For the home of Chiara and Fabio, Rita created a project that finds its value in looking simple at a first glimpse; but a more attentive look will see its innovative and sophisticated character, where original, unusual, and charming decoration solutions live side by side!