Objects and furniture inherited, purchased during travels, or found at flea markets often end up forgotten over time—stored away in cellars or attics, where their presence becomes neutral and silent. This small space was born from the desire to transform that neutrality into harmony.
Armonia del riuso:
A Reused Apartment in the
Historic Center of Caserta
Just a few meters from the magnificent Royal Apartments of the Reggia di Caserta and its park, in the heart of the historic center of Caserta, the objects once belonging to Egle’s family—an avid lover of brocante—became the inspiration for the transformation of a former 45-sqm storage space.
Responding to the owner’s needs, architect Gae Avitabile designed a loft-style one-bedroom apartment shaped around memories. By preserving as much as possible the original structure of the storage room, the new space feels as though it was always meant to exist in this form. Objects, materials, and furniture that seem to belong to another era are reinterpreted by the designer and revealed as surprisingly contemporary.
The original terracotta tile floor, restored to its former value, sets the stage for a vintage sideboard transformed into a kitchen, enhanced by a small sink brought back from a trip to Morocco, echoed in the fabric upholstering the sofa. The “good” chandelier once belonging to the great-grandmother illuminates a bathroom clad in decorated cement tiles salvaged from an old floor. Natural light filters through windows dressed with hemp textiles from traditional family linens.
From the dialogue between tactile surfaces and antique furnishings emerges a harmony of reuse, expanding the perception of space and making it fully functional for a new life in this intimate apartment in Caserta.
