Italian new wave designer Cristina Celestino has furnished an apartment in Milan with her favorite vintage furniture, adding items of her own design, which she creates here

Sofa D70, 1950, designed by Osvaldo Borsani, Tecno. Alanda table, designed by Paolo Piva, B&B Italia, 1980s. Vases and jugs on the table — Miuccia, Atipico collection. Table lamp Borchia, Attico. On the mantelpiece is a Narciso mirror, Artemide, 1970s.

Photo

Elenio Barbetta

The new heroine of the Italian design scene, Cristina Celestino, lives and works in Milan at the same address — having bought a spacious apartment in the Citta Studi area next to the famous Politecnico di Milano, she converted part of the rooms into a workshop. “The way to work now takes me exactly two minutes, agree — it’s very convenient!  she laughs. — Both in the apartment and in the studio, the furniture according to my sketches is combined with my favorite vintage.”

Designer Cristina Celestino in her Milan apartment. Medusa floor lamp, designed by Olaf von Bohr. In the suspended glass showcase, Glas Italia, there are Atomizer bottles, designed by Cristina Celestino.

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Elenio Barbetta

Canteen. The wall is lined with mirror panels. Antique dining table. Bent plywood chairs, vintage, 1950s. Chiara floor lamp, designed by Mario Bellini, Flos, 1964. On the table — vases Deriva and Olfattario, Attico. Table lamp, 1950s, Arredoluce. In the foreground are sliding mirrored doors with a sculptural ceramic handle, designed by Roberto Quattrini for Atelier Borsani.

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Elenio Barbetta

Celestino, an architect by profession, came to the world of design through a passion for vintage shops and antique ruins. “The first purchase was Gae Aulenti lamps (Gae Aulenti), — says the designer. — I remember seeing them in one store and couldn’t pass them by.”

Over time, having trained her eye and collected a small collection of rare items, Celestino decided to try designing furniture and home accessories on her own. “At that moment, retro interiors were coming into fashion,” she says. — Therefore, my taste and style, formed in the wake of the fascination with post-war design, came to court.”

View of the dining room from the hall. Console, Tripolino, on it — Olfattario, Attico vases. In the background is a showcase of glass cubes, Gallotti & Radice.

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Elenio Barbetta

“My style, formed by a passion for post-war design, came to court”

Kitchen, Alpes. Bon Ton lamp, designed by Cristina Celestino, Torremato. Table, Attico.

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Elenio Barbetta

She did not find her first apartment in Milan (Celestino hails from Friuli) right away. “It may sound strange coming from an architect, but I had neither the time nor the desire to redevelop — demolish and move the walls, I wanted to move into a new house as soon as possible,” she says. — And of course, I was looking for a suitable space not only for myself, but also for my favorite designer “belongings” collected over all these years. After all, I didn’t move light, but with him.”

A fragment of the living room. In the showcase of Les Volieres, Seletti, there are vases and bottles from the Capsule, Attico collection. Floor lamp with a matte resin lampshade, designed by Luigi Buti, 1967, Kartell. Chairs P40, Tecno.

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Elenio Barbetta

View from the dining room to the living room. Chairs, designed by Joe Columbo for Kartell. Handmade silk carpet Fort Street Studio from the Alberto Levi Gallery in Milan.

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Elenio Barbetta

Works by Christina Celestino for the project WePrint! , Secessione x Fujifilm.

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Elenio Barbetta

It would seem that the apartment has standard initial data: average ceiling height, typical “cutting” of rooms — but Celestino immediately fell in love with these walls. “The apartment felt the spirit of Milan in the 1950s,” she says. — Even individual details have been preserved. For example, old doors, terrazzo floors, massive ceramic door handles, which were in fashion then.”

Of the bright objects in the living room — a sofa designed by Osvaldo Borsani, armchairs from Joe Colombo, a floor lamp from Kartell of the late 1960s – this is one of the first lamps in the collection of Christina. In the dining room there are wooden armchairs from the 1950s, an iconic lamp from Mario Bellini, in a glass case there are prototypes of Atomizer bottles designed by Celestino.

Bedroom. Vanessa bed, designed by Tobia Scarpa, 1960s. Bedside table Florian, Attico. On it is a night light, designed by Sergio Mazza, Artemide. Wardrobe, Atelier Borsani. Quasar sconce, designed by Angelo Brotto, Esperia.

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Elenio Barbetta

“To build the future, you need to know and love the past”

A fragment of the bedroom. Dressing table Ecstasy, Attico. Opalina stool made of frosted glass, designed by Cristina Celestino, Tonelli.

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Elenio Barbetta

Bathroom. Mirror, Attico. Bra, Oluce. Pirkka wooden stool, 1950s, designed by Ilmari Tapiovaar, Asko. Floor mirrors, Elco, 1970s.

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Elenio Barbetta

Appealing to the range and silhouettes of furniture of the 1940s and 1970s, the designer tried not to overdo it with historical allusions. “In my work I promote the connection between the past and the present, but I avoid archaisms,” says Celestino. “To build the future, you need to know and love the past” is Celestino’s creative credo and a motto that could well be inscribed over the entrance to her Milan apartment.

Hallway. Sipario chest of drawers, designed by Cristina Celestino, Durame. On it are vases of Miuccia, Attico, a Prismar table lamp from Arditi, Nucleo Sormani of the 1970s. Chandelier Poliedri, Venini.

Photo

Elenio Barbetta

“I promote the connection between the past and the present, but I avoid archaisms”

Kristina Celestino’s home studio. On the designer’s desktop there are fragments of Plumage tiles from the collection for BottegaNove.

Photo

Elenio Barbetta

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