This is the true nature of home — it is the place of Peace; the shelter, not only from all injury, but from all terror, doubt, and division.
John Ruskin

In this house restyling we tried to amplify as much as possible the quiet and intimacy atmosphere that every home should have, in order to create a cozy refuge against everyday stress.

The two project's main themes are the kitchen and the fireplace, storically symbols of home's hearth.
For the kitchen we decided to create an opening in the wall, so to give spatial continuity with dining area. A serving hatch, but also a simple way to avoid the isolation during a guests' dinner. When you are cooking, or washing the dishes... or just preparing a drink, it's nice being able to talk with your guests.
The spaces are extremely functional, exploiting the already spacious kitchen: on the open wall there are a sink, two worktops, 5 burners and a peninsula table for breakfast, apetizers or a quick snack, with a controlled temperature wine rack.
On the other side we have a wood stove with oven and flames (using existing chimney), and a large work top, with shelves, sideboards and drawers.

We made a huge wall unit, rather than create a closed pantry, which could mortify the wide and bright space; the wall is equipped with fridge, oven, shelves, so that you always have everything in order but easily usable. We chose a dark finishing for cupboards and top, contrasting with light wood shelves, and a grayscale geometric pattern tiling on the walls.

For the dining and living area, we tried to create a unique continuous space around the fireplace, made of smooth treated concrete.
A large beechwood table for 6 people, in front of the kitchen. A touch of color on the open wall, with a pastel turquoise finiture, gives brightness and vivacity to the atmosphere; we use the same color to renew the existing TV commode.
In the living area we find a large sofa, maybe giving a new upholstery to the existing one, from which you can enjoy the warming fire watching a movie on TV.
We also create a reading corner, with a lovely leather armchair and a floor lamp next to the big library, which evokes the texture of the oak flooring, creating a charming wooden wall.

In the end we decided to reopen the passage from the entrance looking towards the library, in order to illuminate the hallway and create an "invitation" to the new space; a lovely area alternates contemporary elements to most traditional ones, creating a stilish cozy place in a warm domestic atmosphere.