Echoes of the seventies in the Appartamento Spagnolo.
During the recent Milan Design Week, Sancal took part in Appartamento Spagnolo, an ICEX project under the Interiors from Spain brand, held at the historic Palazzo Castiglioni. In collaboration with ELLE Decor Italia and under the expert curatorship of Studiopepe, the Milanese studio founded by Arianna Lelli Mami and Chiara Di Pinto, the exhibition established itself as a must-visit destination on Corso Venezia. The project brought together Spanish firms to breathe life into an apartment that paid homage to the retro elegance of 1970s Italian interiors.
True to their multidisciplinary approach, the founders of Studiopepe conceived the space as an almost theatrical experience of discovery. Each room was bordered by a metallic curtain that allowed a glimpse of the interior. Upon stepping through, visitors discovered the scene, designed as small capsules where the living room, bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen formed part of a dynamic spatial sequence. Throughout this journey, curved forms and contrasting surface textures coexisted within a palette dominated by sand and chocolate tones, and vibrant chromatic accents.
In the living room, the Vesta sofa and Bold occasional tables lived alongside the Vestige dining table. In this setting, lime green, one of the designers’ favourite hues, provided a flash of modernity. Both the Bold coffee table and the plinth of the Vesta sofa featured a high-gloss lacquer in this shade. This was a daring chromatic choice that the Italians interpreted with exquisite sensitivity and elegance, enhancing the furniture’s character and demonstrating their mastery in balancing audacity with sophistication.
The narrative continued in the bedroom, where the Core armchair claimed its space with a unique personality. For this piece, a singular “furry” fabric was chosen, also in lime green, transforming its silhouette into a tactile and visual experience. This dialogue between the sobriety of the forms and the exuberance of the finish reflected the ethos of Studiopepe, for whom style is a reflection of the relationship between the pieces and the environment that embraces them.
Overall, Appartamento Spagnolo offered an immersive domestic experience where architecture, art, and design coexisted in a warm atmosphere full of character.
The relationship between Sancal and the designers began in 2022, when Studiopepe participated in Sancal’s Escenas stand, curating “Milanese Splendour”, a sophisticated and iconic lounge that one might easily find in any of the city’s many grand Palazzi. This creative synergy transcends curatorial collaboration, as the Milanese duo are also the authors of the Vesta sofa and Bold tables, two of the flagship pieces showcased at the Palazzo.
