A Tour of L'Appartamento by Artemest at the 2025 edition of Milan Design Week
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Artemest returned to Milan Design Week 2025 with the third edition of L’Appartamento—a breathtaking exhibition that celebrates the enduring legacy of Italian craftsmanship and design. This year’s showcase took place at the spectacular Palazzo Donizetti, a 19th-century architectural treasure located at Via Gaetano Donizetti 48. The venue, with its layered history and richly adorned interiors, provided the perfect canvas for an exploration of global design through an Italian lens.
Artemest invited six internationally acclaimed interior design studios to reimagine the rooms of Palazzo Donizetti: 1508 London, Champalimaud Design, Meyer Davis, Nebras Aljoaib, Romanek Design Studio, and Simone Haag. Each transformed a distinct space, merging their own creative visions with the finest pieces from Artemest’s artisans, brands, and artists. The result was a symphony of design—bold, diverse, and deeply rooted in craft.
The Entertainment Room by 1508 London
London-based studio 1508 transported guests into a reimagined 19th-century salon, blending residential charm with the sophisticated spirit of members’ clubs. The Entertainment Room was designed to encourage conversation and creativity, offering 15 distinct vignettes within a relatively intimate space. Each moment was meticulously composed, filled with rich textures, expressive colour, and unexpected details. From brushed brass and American black walnut to vibrant upholstery and Blue Roma quartzite, the room invited visitors to engage in a tactile and emotional journey—an ode to storytelling through design.
All photography:Tomaso Lisca and Luca Argenton
The Reading Room & Studio by Nebras Aljoaib
Nebras Aljoaib offered a bold reinterpretation of classical architecture in The Reading Room. Preserving ornate gilded mouldings and arched niches, Aljoaib introduced sculptural forms and mid-century influences to forge a modern yet reverent space. With seating placed at the centre rather than a traditional desk, the room fostered relaxed, conversational energy. A highlight was the bespoke Sling Chair—marble-armed and leather-slung—designed by Aljoaib exclusively for Artemest. Together with dark geometric accents and striking blue chandeliers, the room embodied a harmonious tension between tradition and innovation.
The Lounge by Artemest
A space for quiet reflection, The Lounge unfolded as a sensory journey into softened luxury. Here, velvet textures, polished steel, and lacquered parchment spoke to the richness of Italian heritage, while a gentle palette of blues, greens, and reds recalled the dreamlike quality of fairy woods and nostalgic memories. An off-centre chandelier added an ethereal touch, illuminating the room’s delicate interplay of materials and meaning.
The Foyer by Simone Haag
Stepping into Simone Haag’s Foyer was like crossing the threshold between history and possibility. Surrounded by the grandeur of Baroque, Renaissance, and Liberty architecture, Haag masterfully contrasted the palazzo’s historic details with collectable contemporary Italian design. Rich hues flowed into sleek silhouettes, creating a narrative landscape that both honoured and evolved the space’s past. Each layer invited pause, reflection, and appreciation—a moment to inhabit design as geography.
The Dining Room by Romanek Design Studio
Romanek Design Studio embraced the airy grandeur of The Dining Room, transforming its soaring ceilings and original parquet into a setting of refined joy. Designed for living and lingering, the room celebrated conviviality through a warm, eclectic palette—creams, pinks, greens, yellows, and golds—paired with curated art and mirrors to add depth and vibrancy. It was a space to savour moments, meals, and memories—a living tribute to the Italian love of hospitality.
The Grand Salon by Meyer Davis
La Sirena, Meyer Davis’ Grand Salon, drew inspiration from myth and mystery. Evoking the elusive beauty of the siren, the space merged classical motifs with minimalist sophistication. Intimate seating arrangements were layered with curated objects and rich materials—veined stone, textured metals, sculptural lighting—set beneath a frescoed ceiling. The result was a hypnotic, immersive environment suspended between fantasy and reality, past and future.
The Bedroom by Champalimaud Design
With a wink to 1960s Italian cinema, The Bedroom by Champalimaud Design was a sensuous escape inspired by La Dolce Vita. Terracotta and sunset-toned rugs grounded cloud-like sofas and Venetian mirrors. A bar hidden within an ostrich sculpture added a touch of surreal playfulness. In the adjoining vanity and terrace areas, lacquered desks, hand-painted walls, and silver-coated stools offered quiet moments of glamour and reflection—every element infused with narrative and nostalgia.
