Returning for its third edition during Milan Design Week 2025, the design exhibition L’Appartamento by 2015-established Milan-based luxury furniture and home decor brand Artemest celebrated a decade of its journey in the realm of Italian design and craftsmanship. The exhibition was held within the three-storied, Palazzo Donizetti—a 19th-century piece of architecture characterised by an exquisite fusion of Renaissance and Baroque architecture elements. Six renowned interior designers—1508 Londin, Champalimaud Design, Meyer Davis, Nebras Aljoaib, Romanek Design Studio and Simone Haag—transformed six distinct rooms into curated environments of Italian excellence, featuring an assemblage of furniture designs, lighting designs, and artefacts crafted by Artemest’s expert Italian designers, artisans and brands. With the recent conclusion of the design event, STIR revisits its curious offerings.

Australian designer Simone Haag, known for merging vintage and contemporary design through furniture, art and object curation, welcomed visitors into The Foyer to set the tone for the design exhibition. Juxtaposing the elegance of historical and modern collectibles, Haag evoked ‘a liminal space between bygone era and future’, embodying the generational wisdom of Italian design and craftsmanship. Introducing layered vignettes of rich hues and modern sculptural design pieces into the space, she channelled visual poetry against the marble mosaic flooring and intricate features of the historical building.

Saudi Arabia-based interior designer Nebras Aljoaib added a modern yet classic flair to The Reading Room and Studio against the gilded mouldings and arched niches of Italian architecture. Timeless and bold mid-century furniture designs were arranged spaciously for a relaxed, laid-back workspace, visually and functionally dividing the large space into smaller sections for various activities. The chaise lounge, the desk and the blue chandelier were among the signature pieces that gave the warm, inviting space its identity, complemented by several vases, side tables, books, shelves and a visually striking floor lamp.

The multidisciplinary design studio Meyer Davis, established by Will Meyer and Gray Davis in 1999 in New York City, crafted an immersive space—The Grand Salon—suspended between fantasy and reality. Taking inspiration from the myth of sirens and the evolution of modern Italian design, the American designers put together four distinct yet cohesive seating arrangements within the space, prioritising cultural discourse and exploration. Several metal pieces have been thoughtfully layered against the muted colour palette and veined stones, existing in harmony with the frescoed ceiling, in an attempt to pay "homage to the delicate balance between beauty and danger".

Brigette Romanek, founder of the Los Angeles-based practice Romanek Design Studio, embraced the parquet flooring, white walls and the natural light within The Dining Room, instilling a sense of calm within the grand space. The designer's presentation underlines the importance of sharing a meal with loved ones in a room full of beauty and grace, encouraging visitors to slow down, pause and savour the present. Pinks, greens and yellows flushed the space, paired with gilded lighting offerings to add warmth and a celebrative spirit to the space.

The 2010-established, London-based, international interior design and architecture practice 1508 London brought life to a 19th-century salon for The Entertainment Room, featuring a dark, moody and dramatic aesthetic. Taking inspiration from the exclusive members’ clubs all over the world, the space exhibited a mysterious, cinematic character, transporting the visitors into another era. The eclectic ensemble of paintings, decorative items and props against the historic palazzo orchestrate a spatial design, embodying the distinctive, intuitive flow of jazz, crafting an immersive experience.

The design exhibition concluded with The Bedroom, designed by New York City-based multidisciplinary practice Champalimaud Design, evoking the glitz and glamour of 1960s Italian cinema. The suite’s design is an ode to the renowned Italian film La Dolce Vita (1960), curated as a hangout space for friends, comprising the vanity room, the bedroom and the terrace. A handcrafted ivory majolica chandelier, Venetian mirrors and gilded artworks dominate the vanity area, defined by modern sofa designs and deep terracotta-coloured rugs, while a whimsical ostrich sculpture concealed a lacquered bar. The modernist bed was placed against the hand-painted backdrop of citrus trees, complementing the long orange velvet sofa in a chic spatial composition. The terrace area transformed into a private study with a green lacquered desk adorned with colourful vines and objects that evoke a mystical dimension within the lounge.

By juxtaposing contemporary designs against the historical backdrop of the palazzo, L’Appartamento sought to invite speculation on the future of Italian design, exploring the possibilities of transformation and fusion with global design voices

Keep up with STIR's coverage of Milan Design Week 2025, where we spotlight the most compelling exhibitions, presentations and installations from top studios, designers and brands. Dive into the highlights of Euroluce 2025 and explore all the design districts—Fuorisalone, 5Vie, Brera, Isola, Durini and beyond—alongside the faceted programme of Salone del Mobile.Milano this year.