Living the Alps

221 pages, English

An interior design book showing how the alpine context, with its snowy landscapes and forests, influences the choice of colors, materials, and atmospheres.

This book addresses a very specific topic within interior architecture, namely that of mountains, where the context of the surrounding landscape is strongly associated with the local identity.

The houses published in this volume are all located in the Swiss Alps: in the canton of Ticino and in Engadine. They have been renovated and redeveloped, their interior spaces demolished and rethought. Francesca Neri Antonello is a master of domesticating natural and raw materials, using them to create a warm intimacy that is indispensable for designing the interiors of those who live with the cold alpine temperatures.

Her projects center around stone, iron, and above all wood, which is often recovered or burned to obtain the characteristic burnished color. Wood is a living matter, the bearer of memory and, as the architect says, “Memory is a very strong call: it is the set of aspects that forms our personal identities.”

Francesca Neri Antonello brings together design thinking, craftsmanship, and a strong empathy with her clients. Each element of the interior is designed to measure: furniture, doors, stairs, fireplaces, lamps. Each accessory is chosen with care, interpreting the personal needs of those who will live in the house. The enveloping atmospheres are enhanced by the fabrics and the skillful combination of artificial and natural light.