Deep in the heart of Marylebone, London, lies an apartment that has been refurbished by designer Maurizio Pellizzoni but with an interesting adaptation. Reflecting the trend for micro living but also the commercial potential of such abodes, the home has been designed to incorporate a bedroom specially designed to be rented out through Air BnB.
The flat has been refurbished by a professional couple for their daughter, who is in her twenties, who had lived there in the past. They saw Marylebone as a perfect, on the up investment location, and their brief to Maurizio was to create a vibrant, luxurious and modern apartment for rental. The original plan was to let the apartment out to a young professional couple.
To maintain the value of the property, the client wished to keep two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Plus, after the initial meeting with the client in May of 2016, Maurizio learned that the second bedroom would actually be used by their daughter - but with letting still a real possibility. Eventually though, the decision was taken that she would live in the property, but one room was to be specifically allocated for Air BnB purposes. After all, Marylebone remains a prime spot for such rentals.
The use and planning of space was one of the key points for them, as the original layout made every room seem dark and impractical. For example, the original entrance hall was very small with a dark corridor, just as in the second bathroom, mainly constructed under the original staircase, which meant it took over half of the open plan space upstairs.
As a result of this decision, it was important to have locks for privacy, and two bathrooms so that one could be allocated to any renting guest or guests. Also worthy of note is the fact that the colour scheme evolved to what became a more feminine apartment, using soft pastel colours and a mixture of polished brass and chrome finishes. As a result, Maurizio has successfully achieved the refurbishment of an apartment that is modern, elegant and feminine, but one that’s been simultaneously designed to be commercially viable for the Air BnB generation.
The list of credits for the luxurious items in the apartment is highly impressive. For entertainment, there is a Bang & Olufsen BeoSound, BeoPlay A9 system with a speaker cover designed by Maurizio, as well as a BeoVision TV. All of the artwork in the home was supplied by the LUMAS Gallery in Mayfair, and the work on show includes pieces from artists Stefanie Schneider, Lukas Dvorak and Sven Pfrommer. In the kitchen, the small appliances came from Kitchen Aid, with lighting by FLOS.
Elsewhere in the apartment there is furniture from Minotti in London, and there are assorted accessories, towels, throws and bedlinen courtesy of The Linen Works. Other accessories include scattered cushions on the beds and seating area from de Le Cuona, as well as the throws on the beds, in the kitchen and the oval ottoman in the entrance hall by the mirror.
The rugs found in the sitting area, the quirky A9 speaker, and other items found around this apartment are available from Maurizio Pellizzoni’s online boutique.
