Italian studio Llabb has combined two apartments in Genoa, creating a quirky home that combines nautical references with contemporary art.
Casa ai Bailucchi is the home of a young creative couple ? one is a gallery owner and music lover, the other is a freelance graphic designer.
The L-shaped upper level contains the kitchen and living spaces
The two-level, 135-square-metre apartment is located on the upper levels of a building overlooking the port, so the design was heavily influenced by the huge machinery that can be seen occupying the waterside.
Locally based Llabb, led by designers Federico Robbiano and Luca Scardulla, planned the layout to take full advantage of the views and also peppered the interior with very subtle maritime references. Nautical details are combined with vintage furniture and contemporary artworks
These references include a staircase with a rope handrail, a porthole window, and a colour palette featuring shades of blue and yellow.
Other details include a mix of custom-made and vintage furniture, decorative tiles, large plants and a variety of artworks from the clients' personal collection.
The upper floor leads out to a 100-square-metre roof terrace
The starting point for the design was the addition of a staircase, connecting the two previously separate apartments. With four metres of height between the two floors, it was a challenge to fit this in.

Robbiano and Scardulla's solution was to create a staircase that winds up in several different sec...