A penthouse where the kitchen becomes an experience, between precious materials and hidden spaces
In the heart of Brescia's historic center, an attic opens up like a privileged observatory over the city: from the terrace, the gaze embraces the castle, silent guardian of its millennia-old history. In this setting, architect Celina Idra has transformed the home into a material, elegant, and functional narrative.
“I decided to treat each space as a theatrical scene with its own dramaturgy, while always maintaining balance,” says Celina.
The entire apartment reflects this vision: a measured elegance that dialogues with hidden spaces, unexpected atmospheres, and bespoke details.
The living room opens like a stage: a large, custom-made oak wall system organizes the space harmoniously, while the sofa, chaise longue, and marble tables interact with natural light and the warmth of the furnishings. Even the corridors become paths of discovery: dark floors, reflective surfaces, and integrated cabinetry create rhythm and mystery, turning every passage into a sensory experience.
Materiality and conviviality
The clients, a young entrepreneur and his wife, an excellent cook, wanted a kitchen that combined professional standards with conviviality. Thus, a dramatic kitchen was born, designed together with the local dealer Far Arreda: the centerpiece is the central island, a natural brass volume that captures the eye and invites sharing.
The top and cabinet fronts in Calce Bianco Tech Ceramica blend technological innovation with naturalness, while a natural stone backsplash adds depth and visual solidity. The same material returns in the dining table top, creating continuity between preparation and conviviality—a design gesture that unites two spaces into a single rhythm.
Every detail, from the functional arrangement of professional appliances to the choice of materials, is carefully considered to transform daily life into an aesthetic and sensory experience, where cooking becomes practice, pleasure, and beauty.
A home as a narrative
A dark parquet runs throughout the home, creating a deep, quiet backdrop that enhances natural light. Natural oak boiserie hides secret doors leading to the bathroom, the blue study, and the wardrobe area, in a refined play of thresholds and geometries.
The study, clad in brushed blue wood with satin brass inserts, is an immersive and contemplative space. The sculptural desk, custom-made, occupies the center like a work of art, while the suspended shelves appear to float in the light.
“It's a place to regain focus, a sense of time, the pleasure of thought,” explains the architect.
In the bathrooms, style becomes small-scale scenography: the guest bathroom welcomes with warm tones and golden reflections, while the children's bathroom, immersed in shades of green, evokes lightness and material freshness.
In every space, custom furnishings intertwine with carefully selected pieces, so that every object becomes part of a larger narrative.
“I don't just furnish a space, I tell its story. And I always try to leave room for silence, for light, for time,” concludes Celina.
