{"id":306006,"date":"2026-02-19T11:22:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T11:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/306006\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T11:22:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T11:22:10","slug":"serena-mignatti-designs-wabi-sabi-apartment-for-thom-yorke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/306006\/","title":{"rendered":"Serena Mignatti designs wabi-sabi apartment for Thom Yorke"},"content":{"rendered":"

Architect Serena Mignatti has renovated a historic apartment<\/a> in Rome<\/a> for musician Thom Yorke and actress Dajana Roncione, utilising a palette of tactile materials to create an aesthetic informed by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mignatti<\/a> worked closely with the Radiohead<\/a> star and his Italian wife to renovate the interior of the 350-square-metre penthouse, using a variety of salvaged elements and textured finishes that complement the original features.<\/p>\n

\"SerenaSerena Mignatti has renovated a historic apartment in Rome for Thom Yorke and Dajana Roncione<\/p>\n

She told Dezeen that her objective was to create “a quiet balance between the timeworn beauty of the past and the clarity of the present \u2013 where every material carries a story and each space feels harmonious, vibrant and timeless.”<\/p>\n

The apartment spans two floors of a typical 19th-century building in the city centre and was previously home to the Italian novelist and short story writer Italo Calvino and his family.<\/p>\n

\"Wabi-sabi-styleThe apartment spans two floors of a typical 19th-century building in the city centre<\/p>\n

The residence’s history as a place of creativity and writing, together with the couple’s own artistic sensibilities, helped to define a project focused on generating a unique and meaningful atmosphere.<\/p>\n

“We shared a clear vision,” Mignatti said, “to create a space that was special, personal and private \u2013 a place for the care of the soul, which is, in essence, what ‘home’ really means.”<\/p>\n

\"ThomMignatti was informed by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi<\/p>\n

The original apartment building had evolved over time, informing an approach aimed at combining existing details such as the wooden ceiling beams and parquet flooring with contemporary interventions.<\/p>\n

Mignatti utilised a palette of natural materials, including lime-based paints in warm tones, to evoke the neighbourhood’s architecture and provide a neutral backdrop for a range of reused and repurposed elements.<\/p>\n

\"LivingThe architect utilised a palette of natural materials, including lime-based paints<\/p>\n

“When it came to the furnishings, materials and colour palette, my aim was to remain deeply in tune with the surroundings \u2013 with Rome itself,” she suggested.<\/p>\n

“I wanted the colours of the city, the tones glimpsed from the windows, to guide our choices. I gravitated towards soft, natural hues \u2013 nothing overpowering \u2013 colours that could quietly engage with the light, with the textures of the surfaces, and with the spirit of the place.”<\/p>\n

\"WoodenThe house’s salvaged features include all of the doors, the wooden tables and benches<\/p>\n

The house’s many salvaged features include all of the doors, the wooden tables and benches, the stone sinks, the niches in the vaulted ceiling and a spiral staircase leading to one of several private terraces.<\/p>\n

New interventions were created bespoke for the space by a team of local artisans and joiners, while the upholstered furniture was sourced from Belgian antiques dealer and gallerist Axel Vervoordt<\/a>, who is also known for his wabi-sabi style.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Glass<\/p>\n

StudioTamat transforms Rome “villino” with glass floors and mirror ceilings\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

As part of the renovation, the existing utilities were brought up to contemporary standards, with solutions including underfloor heating and air conditioning discreetly integrated to create a more comfortable environment.<\/p>\n

The project exemplifies Mignatti’s approach, which involves layering antiques and salvaged objects or materials on top of the existing built fabric.<\/p>\n

\"SpiralA staircase leads to one of several private terraces<\/p>\n

“The idea of salvaging \u2013 not just the materials, but also the gestures, the energy behind them \u2013 has always fascinated me,” she pointed out.<\/p>\n

“I often think of the Tuscan tradition, or the Japanese one, with their philosophy of wabi-sabi, which embraces imperfection and the quiet beauty of ageing things.”<\/p>\n

\"BathroomThe property was previously home to the Italian novelist and short story writer Italo Calvino<\/p>\n

Mignatti studied at the Iuav University of Venice and worked for several international architecture practices before founding her studio, which adopts a circular and regenerative approach to its projects in the residential, hospitality and cultural sectors.<\/p>\n

Dezeen’s lookbook highlighting eight interiors informed by the wabi-sabi philosophy<\/a> includes a Hong Kong residence<\/a> featuring a palette of naturally flawed materials and a Barcelona apartment<\/a> informed by its existing rough-textured beams.<\/p>\n

The photography is by Danilo Scarpati<\/a>.<\/p>\n