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Think about getting into a house the place mild, reminiscence, and innovation dance collectively. That’s precisely what Puccio Collodoro Architetti achieved with Casa Matì, a former Nineteen Thirties cellar in Palermo that has been reborn as a luminous modern residence. Simply steps away from the historic Teatro Politeama, this mission is proof that even the darkest areas might be reworked into architectural masterpieces.
In case you love fashionable Italian interiors, sculptural staircases, and the proper mix of custom with modern design, maintain studying—you’ll wish to pin each element of this mission.
A Design Problem Turned Alternative
Reworking Casa Matì wasn’t easy. The architects confronted an bold problem: how you can reclaim a protracted, darkish, airless house and reinvent it as a vibrant, livable house.
The answer?
Demolishing outdated ceilings to disclose beautiful pitched roofs.
Introducing new skylights to flood the house with pure mild.
Mixing heat pure oak, modern resin, and vintage Sicilian tiles for a timeless but modern palette.
The result’s an open, light-filled residence that feels each rooted in its historical past and strikingly fashionable.
(For extra design inspiration on maximizing small or awkward areas, see our information to open plan lounge concepts.)
The Showstopping Suspended Staircase

The center of Casa Matì is its double-height residing space, dominated by a sculptural suspended steel staircase. Greater than only a technique to join flooring, this staircase is an element structure, half art work.
The primary two steps, clad in stone-effect stoneware, merge seamlessly with a customized oak cupboard.
The floating design makes your complete house really feel mild and open.
A big skylight above emphasizes verticality and floods the stairwell with daylight.
It’s a placing reminder that staircases might be design statements, not simply useful components.
(Discover extra methods to make architectural particulars shine in our function on fashionable staircase designs.)
Supplies That Inform a Story

What makes Casa Matì unforgettable is the dialogue of supplies:
Pure Oak: Present in Hungarian herringbone parquet, built-ins, and the walk-in wardrobe.
Resin Flooring: Provides a textured, modern edge, particularly within the kitchen/eating space.
Vintage Cement Tiles: Salvaged and reinterpreted as a “tile rug” beneath the eating desk—a poetic nod to Sicilian custom.
This considerate combine creates a tactile, emotional expertise that connects the previous with the current.
(In case you love this look, don’t miss our roundup of wooden and stone combos in inside design.)
Gentle, House, and Movement

One of many largest transformations in Casa Matì was redefining the circulation of house. As a substitute of a compressed, segmented structure, the architects created:
A fluid journey from the residing space into the kitchen/eating house.
Ground-to-ceiling oak and glass doorways that act as elegant filters between rooms.
Bedrooms designed with daring colours and customized oak closets that double as architectural options.
Each transition feels intentional, with mild because the guiding thread.
(For extra on attaining circulation in your personal house, see our article on how you can design a cohesive inside.)
A Palermo Gem The place Reminiscence Meets Innovation

Casa Matì is greater than a renovation—it’s a story of structure. Each element, from the invisible doorways to the sculpted fire, tells a narrative of how design can honor historical past whereas embracing the longer term.
Ultimately, Puccio Collodoro Architetti turned a constrained cellar into one in every of Palermo’s most fascinating residences, proving that good design is about greater than aesthetics—it’s about rewriting an area’s id.
Key Takeaways for Your Personal Residence









Even in the event you’re not renovating a Nineteen Thirties cellar, Casa Matì gives loads of classes you’ll be able to apply:
Use mild strategically—skylights and open layouts can rework even the darkest areas.
Let architectural particulars develop into focal factors, like a sculptural staircase or customized doorways.
Combine previous and new supplies to create timeless interiors with soul.
(Need extra real-life inspiration? Take a look at our tour of beautiful Italian flats.)
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