Cescolina and Cescolina² Apartments, Milan

In the centre of Milan, two private apartments (Cescolina and Cescolina²) share a name, an interior design project by Nomade Architettura and the sophisticated elegance of Admiral cast iron bathtub. In both homes, the architect Selina Bertola has chosen to give one of Devon&Devon’s icon bathtubs a leading role in the master bathrooms. In Cescolina, the retro appeal of Admiral with Déco feet dialogues wonderfully with the vintage mood of the wall and floor coverings and the handmade concrete tiles in the bathroom and with the lively eclectic minimalism that characterises the rest of the house. The living area, with splendid views out over the fabulous Navigli district, has retained some of its period elements like the wooden beams and original door and window frames, mixed cleverly with markedly contemporary flavour solutions, like the design pieces chosen for the lounge and the surprising “box” in iron and glass that encloses the kitchen. In Cescolina², the Victorian shape of the Admiral bathtub duets in contrast with furniture, Moroccan cement tiles in shades of grey-green and finishes with a decidedly contemporary flavour. The same fusion of retro and contemporary brings alive the other rooms in the home, defined by blocks of colour provided by pictures and design furniture, lit up by the huge windows of what was once a factory. This huge house-loft covers 4 levels that, like a Roman domus, all overlook a central courtyard. Each room has a different mood, colours and patterns, thanks to Fornasetti and Hermes wallpaper, ethnic rugs, prints and neon words, mixed with vintage objects in a very successful combination of totally dissimilar eras and places.