COLOGNO MONZESE / MILAN / RESIDENTIAL RENOVATION

COLOGNO SUD
APARTMENTA two-bedroom home shaped around everyday living

An original residential project by KORE DESIGN. Cooking, gathering, rest and storage guide the reorganisation of a two-bedroom apartment, with each space responding to the residents' daily habits.

01 / PROJECT INTRO

Understand life first.
Then shape the space.

COLOGNO MONZESE · MILANO / KORE DESIGN

Cologno Sud Apartment render showing the connection between living and dining spaces, with timber and white cabinetry — COLOGNO SUD APARTMENTRENDER / LIVING + DINING

DESIGN POSITION

A home works
in the smaller spaces, too.

Residential design goes beyond a compelling image of a living or dining room. A kitchen suited to Chinese cooking, a table clear of circulation, a restful bedroom and a place for everyday belongings determine how a home is used over time. These practical questions shape the layout, materials and lighting of the project.

LOCATIONCologno Monzese, Milano, Italy
TYPEResidential Interior / Apartment Renovation
PROGRAMMETwo bedrooms, living room and separate dining room
ORIGINAL DESIGNKORE DESIGN

02 / LIVING + MATERIALS

More than a sofa and a screen.
A place to gather.

The clients enjoy inviting friends over to talk and share meals. The living room is therefore organised around being together: the corner sofa, circular coffee table and rug establish a clear centre while leaving room to move around it. Preserving this living area was also a starting point for finding a separate place for dining.

The TV wall brings timber, pale doors, open shelves and local lighting into one composition. Display and everyday storage have distinct places. The junction between timber-effect flooring and the pale, concrete-like Bianca finish marks a change of area; cabinetry, materials and light give the room depth without adding partitions.

Living room render with a corner sofa, circular coffee table, rug and natural light from the window — RENDER / LIVINGSeating arranged around conversation

Living room cabinetry render combining timber, white cabinet fronts, open shelving and integrated lighting — RENDER / MEDIA + STORAGEDisplay and concealed storage share one wall

Close-up render of the living room table and the junction between wood-effect and pale cement-like flooring — RENDER / FLOORINGMaterial changes define areas rather than decoration

Living room render with corner sofa, circular coffee table, television storage and daylight — RENDER / LIVING OVERVIEWSeating, daylight and circulation considered together

TV wall render with pale cabinetry, timber backing, open shelves and circular wall lights — RENDER / TV WALL LIGHTINGLocal light gives depth to timber and open shelves

Render from the living room coffee table towards entrance storage and the dining doorway — RENDER / CONNECTING SPACESA view from the seating area towards storage and dining

Detail render of timber backing, pale low cabinets and an open surface in the TV storage wall — RENDER / CABINETRY DETAILAn accessible surface above closed storage

03 / KITCHEN

A separate kitchen
for the way the clients cook.

The clients frequently cook Chinese food, particularly Sichuan dishes. A more independent kitchen responds to that routine, with containing cooking fumes and odours and maintaining comfort in the living room as clear design priorities. The choice of layout follows the way the kitchen is used every day.

Within the narrow room, a continuous worktop connects preparation, cooking, washing and storage along the wall. Dark timber cabinetry, stone-pattern surfaces and under-cabinet lighting define the design proposal. Light is directed onto the working areas. The final-stage photographs below also record the actual cabinet, worktop and lighting selections made during implementation.

Separate kitchen render with dark timber base units, pale upper cabinets, stone-pattern splashback and sink — RENDER / SEPARATE KITCHENA continuous worktop within the existing proportions

Kitchen cooking-zone render with hob, extractor and under-cabinet task lighting — RENDER / COOKING + LIGHTExtraction, working surfaces and light considered together

04 / DINING

Reallocate the plan.
Give dining its own place.

The original layout had no separate dining room. Reallocating part of the bedroom area creates a place for everyday meals and visiting friends near the kitchen. This preserves the living room as a complete space and gives serving, clearing and movement to the kitchen a direct route.

The new dining room addresses both sitting down to eat and keeping the necessary objects close by. Pale sideboard cabinetry combines closed storage, an open working surface and display space for glassware, a coffee machine, bottles and tableware. A pendant centres the table, while integrated cabinet lighting gives the background depth and the new room its own atmosphere.

Dining room render with timber table, pendant light, pale sideboard cabinetry and illuminated stone-pattern back panel — RENDER / DININGA distinct room connected to everyday routines

Render looking into the dining room, with the table beside full-height storage and a coffee station — RENDER / CIRCULATION + STORAGEClose to the kitchen, with a degree of privacy

Render looking from the living room towards the dining doorway beside pale cabinetry — RENDER / DINING ENTRANCEA separate dining area with a clear approach

DESIGN / FINAL SITE STAGE

The same spaces,
moving from image to use.

These final-stage site photographs correspond to the living room, kitchen and dining space shown in the renders. They record the separate kitchen, task lighting, sideboard storage and furniture as installed, including the actual material and lighting selections. Some installation and cleaning items remain visible; the photographs have not been staged or rendered.

Final-stage site photograph of the separate kitchen with continuous worktop, oven, timber wall units and track lighting — FINAL SITE STAGE / KITCHENWorking surfaces and circulation at their built scale

Final-stage kitchen photograph of the hob, extractor, pale drawers and timber wall cabinets — FINAL SITE STAGE / COOKING ZONEHob, extractor and cabinetry as installed

Final-stage kitchen photograph of the sink, tap, pale worktop, timber wall cabinet and task lighting — FINAL SITE STAGE / SINK DETAILThe built relationship between sink, worktop and light

Final-stage site photograph of the kitchen sink, pale worktop, timber wall units and under-cabinet light — FINAL SITE STAGE / WORKTOPEquipment, worktop and task lighting as installed

Final-stage site photograph of white dining storage, timber back panel and glass display cabinet — FINAL SITE STAGE / DINING STORAGEStorage, display and an accessible working surface

Final-stage site photograph of a rounded timber dining table, upholstered chairs and pale flooring — FINAL SITE STAGE / TABLE DETAILFurniture materials and everyday contact

Final-stage site photograph of window-side living room storage, circular wall lights, ceiling light and track lighting — FINAL SITE STAGE / LIVINGDaylight, storage and the installed lighting

05 / PRIMARY BEDROOM

Softer light.
A quieter room.

Comfort at rest guides the primary bedroom. A half-height dark timber headboard balances pale walls and beige upholstery, giving the bed a sense of enclosure without darkening the entire room. Daylight beside the window and indirect light at the headboard respond to different times of day.

Lighting and storage also support small bedside routines: reading calls for focused light, winding down calls for softer light, and a glass, phone or book needs a convenient place. Bedside units, reading lights and sockets are considered together. The additional warm-light image is presented as a design study of the bedroom atmosphere.

Primary bedroom render with half-height dark timber headboard, upholstered bed and indirect lighting — RENDER / PRIMARY BEDROOMDark timber balanced with pale surfaces

Bedside detail render showing adjustable reading light, sockets, floating cabinet and timber panelling — RENDER / BEDSIDE DETAILLight and everyday functions within reach

Primary bedroom render with window-side daylight, pale walls, a dark timber headboard and an upholstered bed — RENDER / BEDROOM DAYLIGHTPale walls balance the dark timber headboard

Bedside detail render with timber cabinet, reading light, socket and upholstered headboard — RENDER / BEDSIDE STORAGEAn everyday place for a glass, books and charging

Bedroom lighting-study render with warm wall light, dark timber headboard and bedside flowers — RENDER / BEDROOM LIGHTING STUDYA design study of warm light and bedside materials

06 / SECOND BEDROOM

Room for sleep.
Room for belongings.

The second bedroom combines a quiet sleeping area with substantial storage. Pale fronts reduce the visual presence of the full-wall wardrobe and form a continuous background, leaving the bed and circulation clearly defined. Closed cabinetry gathers clothing in one place instead of relying on several small storage pieces.

Dark timber open shelving is set into the pale cabinetry for books, frequently used belongings and selected objects. Open and closed storage have complementary roles: regular-use items remain accessible, while other belongings have a defined place. The material contrast gives the large storage surface depth.

Second bedroom render with a pale upholstered bed, light walls and daylight — RENDER / SECOND BEDROOMSpace reserved for rest and daily use

Second bedroom wardrobe render with pale full-height doors and an inset dark timber bookcase — RENDER / WARDROBEOpen shelves and closed storage have distinct roles

07 / ENTRANCE STORAGE

A place for belongings
from the moment you arrive.

Entrance storage begins with the sequence of arriving home. Shoes, coats and everyday belongings are gathered in one cabinet wall. The open lower section accommodates frequently worn shoes, while a central surface offers a place to put down small items. Different kinds of storage respond to different frequencies of use.

Pale doors continue the interior palette; dark timber recesses and local lighting emphasise the central display area. The entrance supports storage and the transition into the home, making arrival, putting things away and moving into the living room part of a coherent routine.

Entrance storage render with pale doors, dark timber open shelving, a display recess and lower shoe storage — RENDER / ENTRANCEEveryday access, concealed storage and display

Entrance cabinet detail render with pale doors, a recessed open surface, objects and local lighting — RENDER / ENTRANCE DETAILA place for small belongings within the storage wall

08 / BATHROOM

A clear arrangement
for everyday routines.

The bathroom continues the pale palette of the apartment. The vanity, mirror, glass shower screen and sanitary fittings near the window have clearly defined roles while limiting visual subdivision within the compact room.

A floating vanity provides closed storage for washing essentials, while the mirror and glass preserve visual continuity. This section shows a design render to complete the account of the apartment’s spaces.

Bathroom render with pale surfaces, floating vanity, mirror, glass shower screen and sanitary fittings near the window — RENDER / BATHROOMPale finishes and clearly organised bathroom functions

09 / CONSTRUCTION RECORD

Spatial decisions
carried into construction.

These photographs document the project's construction process and are labelled separately from the design renders. Opening alterations, electrical work, ceiling preparation and wall finishes show the scheme being implemented. They are not presented as completed-interior photography.

Construction photograph of a worker carrying out local alterations to an existing wall opening — SITE / WALL OPENINGSpatial changes begin with the existing walls

Cologno Sud Apartment construction photograph of a worker altering the head of a doorway — SITE / OPENINGWorking through circulation and spatial boundaries

Cologno Sud Apartment construction photograph of electrical distribution and wiring work at the entrance — SITE / ELECTRICALCoordinating the services needed for daily use

Cologno Sud Apartment construction photograph of ceiling boards being installed beneath service conduits — SITE / CEILINGCoordinating substrate, services and finished surfaces

Cologno Sud Apartment construction photograph of a worker painting interior walls — SITE / WALL FINISHESThe interior takes shape through successive trades

KORE DESIGN / RESIDENTIAL PRINCIPLE
A home is more than a set of images.
Every space should support everyday life.
Lifestyle → spatial decisions → daily experience

A home worksin the smaller spaces, too.

A home works
in the smaller spaces, too.