What happens when the imagination of an architect and the dreams of two universal artists meet? The result is a flat-poster where creativity rules but also maintains a deep connection to the place it belongs to. That place is Milan, chosen in 2020 by the owner couple, previously based in Los Angeles, as a starting point for a new life. Let’s talk about Phil America And Jenny D. Pham: artist, creative director and activist for him, marketing manager in the fashion industry for her. The two recently teamed up to create Things are left: an independent household brand which well represents their nomadic spirit.
Exhibition house of several artists in Milan
Exhibition house of several artists in Milan
The first time he set foot in this apartment in via Eustachi, between Porta Venezia and Città Studi, the couple was not particularly impressed. Yet there was something in the high ceilings, in the light and in the dimensions – 180 m2 – that hinted at enormous potential, behind the dusty appearance of the whole. To achieve that, you needed the touch of an architect who is able to experiment and adapt to the needs of clients, and this is how it comes into play Massimiliano Locatellifounder Locatelli Partners studio. What is asked of him is to make this home not just a space to live in and to know oneself, but also the activities of the headquarters and the showcase of the newborn brand. First of all, the architect intervenes in the layout and turns what was a bedroom into Jennýjar’s new office.
Exhibition house of several artists in Milan
Exhibition house of several artists in Milan
The office faces the living room through arched corridors edged with iron and echoed by mirrored doors, which trace the striking and evocative profile of a colonnade. “The humming of the arches is reminiscent of the entrance to the palace,” explains Locatelli. “It’s a move I would never propose anywhere else, but here it’s contextual and makes sense.” My idea always starts with understanding where you are and then framing the intervention.”
Exhibition house of several artists in Milan
Exhibition house of several artists in Milan
Again to immerse us in the identity of the place, the house retains the original gravel tiles, which dot the entrance and hallway on the night side, while Jenny’s bathroom has large slabs of green seminato (pictured below). As for the furniture, many bear Locatelli’s own signature, such as the bookcases in the study, where some of the ceramics from Items are by collection, and all wardrobes, including in the guest room, a small intimate room reminiscent of a train or ship’s cabin, where the hostess loves to take refuge.
Exhibition house of several artists in Milan
Exhibition house of several artists in Milan
The couple’s passion for design and love of Italy finally flows through some iconic pieces that complete the setting, including Taraxacum chandelier and Camaleonda sofa in the living room. And if you went through these parts in the meantime Design weekmaybe you were also lucky enough to sit on the sofa: the couple actually opened the doors of their home, on the occasion of the launch of the brand, with a museum dedicated to the Milan metro.
Elisa Zagaria is an author who has turned her greatest passion into a job: researching and inventing stories. The ones she talks about for Elle Decor, as an independent contributor, include dream houses, personalities, events and iconic places of our time. And then there are other stories, in the form of novels and especially screenplays, that he writes for television and waits to get rich enough to buy one of those dream houses.