IT
NOS has been selected to renovate an apartment in Amsterdam with the mission of bringing Made in Italy creativity into a Dutch context. The apartment is located in the central district “Centrum” in a typical street of tall and narrow houses overlooking the Amstel, in a modern building built in the 70s. The building is in exposed reinforced concrete and has the uniqueness of having an elevator and large windows overlooking the picturesque period houses, while all the surrounding houses do not have these modern comforts. Thanks to its enviable position, the brief was to renovate the apartment which presented itself with irregular, non-functional shapes and obsolete materials, such as for example the concrete glass walls and the circular shower in the entrance (!), in a elegant and modern apartment for a young Italian couple. With short deadlines and a limited budget, NOS’s strategy was to conceive a new regular and functional internal distribution, creating a large open space with living room and open kitchen to add a master bathroom and improve internal circulation. Simple design operations in the layout have made it possible to distort the internal space to enlarge the spaces and bring the natural light of the large window right from the entrance. The finishes are modern and neutral, the choice of using a single floor in large oak planks produced by STOXX has enlarged the space and created a single “flow” throughout the apartment. The bathrooms designed by NOS are covered with inserts of “zellige” mosaics produced by hand in Morocco and supplied by Mosaic der Sur. The brilliance and geometric irregularity of the glass material gives a material and artisanal effect, contrasting with the modern finishes of the Ink sanitary ware and the satin black taps of Crosswater, which recalls the typical elements of Dutch Industrial Design. A perfect blend of warmth created by the materiality of the “handmade” in a modern and functional context. The different heights in the false ceilings have allowed the definition of the open space and other spaces by creating plays of light with different types of spotlights; the soft light points throughout the apartment convey a warm and inviting feeling on a minimal budget. While the main colors are neutral, each room includes furniture or compositions of lively and offset paintings to define the space and create contrast. The linear kitchen, which is more a piece of furniture than a kitchen, was designed by NOS and manufactured by STOXX, a Dutch company specializing in kitchens with Italian design. The top and back splash are in Dekton with a calacatta marble finish. Being an open kitchen, the Nuvola hood has been hidden in the false ceiling and the sink is a steel under-top. A small wine cellar and all the modern built-in appliances of the satin black lacquered furniture have also been included. Black was selected to give more character to the design kitchen cabinet, marrying perfectly with the Dutch taste and the warm oak floor. The finishing touches to the apartment came in the form of both Italian and Dutch furnishings, such as the legendary Nathalie bed designed by Vico Magistretti (1978) by Flou or the bookcases by Goossenswonen. These pieces of modern art highlight the combination of materials and colors highlighting the industrial design with its modern and thin lines. The success of the interior design is due to the intention of NOS to maintain the feeling of the Italian house, to feel at home away from home in the heart of the City of Amsterdam.
