Casa Totem: A Secret Pied-à-terre in Rome by StudioTamat.

Tucked away in the heart of one of the busiest neighbourhoods in Rome sits a secret pied-à-terre by StudioTamat. At just 65 square metres, Casa Totem, or Totem House depending on where you hail from, has been entirely redesigned to welcome travellers who yearn to explore a more contemporary face of Rome.

The first-floor apartment, originally covered with seventies wallpaper, has been stripped, revealing a layering of original colours and glazes of the time in which it was built. These were the starting point for the architects, who opted for colour choices in line with the pre-existing plasters while maintaining the classic imperfections.

“The challenge was to create a contemporary design intervention in continuity with the past, to calibrate the historical peculiarities of the apartment and elements of contemporary architecture, in a game of contrasts that made it possible to create heterogeneous and characterful settings,” explains Matteo Soddu, co-founder of StudioTamat.

The wall left rough with the pre-existing scratched colour and the brick vaulted ceiling characterise the entrance, where a circular mirror with a burgundy-coloured sheet metal support that incorporates the mini Flos globe and linear appliques suspended in the void, are the only furnishings. The casual use of colour is the stylistic signature of the entire pied-à-terre, which alternates warm and cold shades to enhance the additions without overpowering the original colours.

The “totem” is a multifunctional and sculptural volume that rises from the ground to the ceiling, acting as a pivot for the reorganisation of the spaces in the centre of the apartment.
Hollowed out and articulated in an apparently casual way, the volume of the totem not only shields the living room from the bedroom, but also houses internal functions on all sides, such as wardrobes, lights, a refrigerator, a wine cellar, and a bookcase. An imposing horizontal top in black lacquered wood is set upon it, which projects towards the walls of the room, designed as a seat for the dining table or as a chaise-longue.

The whole project is tailor-made, from the furnishings to the lighting, making it unique and a homage to forgotten crafts. For an apartment that shows a creative, vibrant side to the city, far from clichés, StudioTamat’s eye never strays too far from the past.

Related: Istanbul Pied-á-Terre by Merve Kahraman.

[Images courtesy of STUDIOTAMAT. Photography by Serena Eller Vainicher.]