Janet Butler
This renovation by Studio Mobile is of a penthouse apartment in a building that dates from the 1960’s, in San Donà di Piave, near Venice. In a new, open plan, the living room was positioned to face the apartment’s terrace, which opens up — thanks to sliding doors — to bring the outdoors in. Concrete pillars, instead of walls, mark room “boundaries”, while a built-in cabinet of solid white serves double duty as a closet and a spot for the fireplace. Shelves for books surround the sliding doors, an ingenious way to maximize space. Dining furniture is casual, almost outdoorsy; the al fresco dining area on the terrace blends with it nicely. In the kitchen, a “wall” is actually a set of small greenhouse rectangles over the sink, filled with aromatic plants. The kitchen is pure white, streamlined — and easy for a cook to use while interacting with guests.
Unifying the décor is oak wood flooring used to tie living and sleeping areas together, even becoming the platform for a bed that seems to float in midair. The same wood makes up the louvered pocket door in the bedroom closet and is repeated in both flooring and countertops and the tub surround in the bathroom. And, as a splash of color, blue-and-white tiles and a gilt-framed mirror are wonderful surprises in a powder room. Changes you don’t see: upgrades to heating/cooling and power systems that make the penthouse more energy-efficient and comfortable. But what you see now, in Casa FH, is a clean, welcoming space — plus a view of the Piave River through the treetops.
