Studio Latino’s Gutsy Design Layered Over 1970s Bones in Milan.

In Milan’s buzzing Nolo neighbourhood, Studio Latino has given an 80-square-metre 1970s apartment a new lease on life. The brief was simple: create a home for a young couple in publishing, expecting their first child, while honouring the building’s Milanese character.

Rather than gut the place, Studio Latino worked with what was already there. The original Palladiana floors in the living spaces and industrial parquet in the bedrooms stayed put, becoming the foundation for everything else. Old wall partitions remain visible too, creating a layered effect where you can read the apartment’s history.

“Our intent with this project was to recreate a romantic and eclectic space, a perfect place in the city to get great inspiration for new and successful novels,” explain the designers.

The real showstopper is the kitchen. Rendered in vibrant blue and pale lemon, it’s far more than a functional space—it reads like a piece of statement furniture, a bold sculptural presence that anchors the open-plan living area. This isn’t a kitchen trying to blend in; it’s a kitchen with personality, bringing colour and character to what could have been a neutral backdrop.

Brutalist 1960s Milan Apartment Reimagined by ESA Studio.

Emilio Scarano creates a cinematic narrative through space with pure material and absence of decor, rejecting open-plan living for something far more intriguing.

That same confident use of colour continues throughout. A rounded column painted in rusty orange adds warmth, whilst a custom green wall lamp by Studio Latino punctuates the kitchen zone. The palette is brave without being loud.

The custom library is another smart move. Built in light wood and rust orange with ribbed glass panels, it divides the living and sleeping areas while keeping sight lines open. It’s both storage and architecture.

In the bedroom, vintage pieces soften the mood, while the bathroom brings back the colour with green glazed tiles—a nod to Milan’s distinctive 1970s facades. Everything custom—kitchen, library, closet, bathroom furniture—was made by Studio Latino, mixed with Kartell chairs, Davide Groppi and Flos lighting, and vintage finds.

The project succeeds in creating a space that feels both rooted in its Milanese context and ready for contemporary family life.

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[Images courtesy of Studio Latino. Photography by Nicolò Panzeri.]