“We purchased the apartment in 2008. We needed a spacious home with outdoor areas that could accommodate us, our three (at the time) adolescent children, and Hanna, our housekeeper, who we consider the sixth member of the family. We had clear ideas about the renovation. We wanted to create a warm and comfortable environment where we could blend new furnishings with inherited furniture and objects.”

The apartment, a fusion of two distinct units, was completely redesigned in layout by architect Lazzaro Raboni, an old friend of the couple who shares their tastes and vision regarding the space and the needs of each family member. Their mutual objective was to create a home designed with family life in mind, and without areas that would go unused — a residence where every corner can be lived in. When considering the interior design, to avoid falling into the trap of cliché period nostalgia, the designer used a play of colours on the walls, focusing on shades of grey, with the exception of a single eggplant purple. The use of natural materials as a backdrop for the home’s eclectic mix of furniture styles creates a sense of harmonious modernity that is refined, surprising and emotionally engaging. The result is an environment that inspires an immediate feeling of ease.

A space for entertaining many friends and guests, the Mamo family’s kitchen is often a hub of gastronomic experimentation, where ingredients and recipes from a variety of origins take centre stage. While members of the family occasionally try their hand at cooking, it is Hanna whose expertise sees the dining table filled and everyone’s tastes satisfied, as she alternates effortlessly between Bolognese lasagna, Chinese dumplings, Ligurian focaccia and Russian beet soup. It’s no coincidence that the couple’s children, two of whom are now adults, often gather here for family dinner. There really is no place like home.