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Studio Paradisiartificiali and artist Owen Gent redesigned a 37-square-meter apartment in Milan’s Navigli district as a short-stay home shaped by surreal murals and colorful furnishings. The project, called Mysterious Baths, also involved substantial building work, including a new roof and a service core for the kitchen and bathroom.
Studio Paradisiartificiali and artist Owen Gent have turned a 37-square-meter apartment in Milan’s Navigli district into a short-stay studio combining surreal wall murals, vivid furniture and a substantial renovation. The project, named Mysterious Baths, was designed for visitors spending a few days in the city and treats the compact home as a place of passage and discovery rather than a conventional permanent residence.
The apartment was previously a warehouse used by an astrophysics professor approaching retirement, according to Livingetc’s report. The new owner’s interest in philosophy and metaphysics helped shape the project. Studio Paradisiartificiali worked with Gent to develop the murals alongside the interior, aiming for an environment that feels recognizable but not fully explained.
The design pairs a largely white interior with bright, sculptural furnishings and colorful objects. Items named in the report include Opinion Ciatti’s Yum Yum chairs, a cobalt-blue Oly Stool by noo.ma and a Krossing Maxi Bookcase by Kriptonite. Arched murals depict an imagined landscape, including imagery described in the report as recalling an arid dreamscape.
The work was not limited to decoration. The designers said the apartment required a substantial renovation to meet contemporary living standards. They added a ventilated crawl space, built a new roof with exposed timber beams and inserted a service core for the kitchen and bathroom. The source does not provide a project budget, construction timeline or details about the apartment’s current rental availability.
A Short-Stay Home Built Around Discovery
The project shows how a very small apartment can be organized around a distinct visitor experience, not just the efficient placement of furniture. Its short-stay purpose gives the designers room to frame the home as an interlude in a trip: somewhere guests can encounter a particular artistic idea as well as use the kitchen, bathroom and sleeping space.
That approach is visible in the balance between practical changes and visual storytelling. The service core groups key functions, while the murals and saturated furnishings give the studio a specific identity. The report does not establish whether the design improves rental performance or sets a wider trend; it presents the project as one distinctive response to the constraints of a 37-square-meter home.
surreal wall murals for small apartments
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From Metaphysical Art to Milan
The project’s name refers to I Bagni Misteriosi, or “The Mysterious Baths,” a recurring subject in the work of Italian artist Giorgio de Chirico. The designers also cite de Chirico’s 1973 sculptural work in Milan as part of the project’s reference point. They drew on his ability to turn familiar Italian settings into imagined landscapes.
Studio Paradisiartificiali’s Lorenzo and Alessandro told Livingetc that they found the idea of mysterious baths as a shelter for passing travelers compelling. They said it prompted them to think of a home as a place of brief encounters, rather than solely a place of belonging. The studio describes its wider interior work as a dialogue between architecture, art, design and craft; the Milan apartment applies that narrative approach to a compact home.
“We made us think of the home less as a place of belonging and more as a place of passage and encounter; something brief and unexpected, but still capable of leaving a trace.”
— Lorenzo and Alessandro of Studio Paradisiartificiali, speaking to Livingetc
Project Costs and Use Remain Unreported
The Livingetc report does not state when the renovation was completed, how much it cost or whether the apartment is currently available to book. It also provides no measured floor-plan breakdown, so the exact dimensions or arrangement of sleeping and storage areas cannot be confirmed from the source material.
The designers describe the home’s intended atmosphere and the renovation work, but the report does not include feedback from guests or evidence about how well the space functions in day-to-day use. Claims about its influence on other small-apartment projects would go beyond the information provided.
Booking and Project Details Await Confirmation
No further project announcement, opening date or booking information is provided in the source. The next practical details readers would need—such as availability, nightly rates and location within Navigli—remain unconfirmed. Livingetc’s feature documents the design and the designers’ intentions, but does not say whether additional construction or public updates are planned.
Key Questions
Where is the Mysterious Baths studio?
It is in Milan’s Navigli district, according to the Livingetc report. The source does not give a street address.
How large is the apartment?
The home measures 37 square meters, or about 398 square feet.
Who designed the apartment and its murals?
Studio Paradisiartificiali designed the interior in collaboration with artist and illustrator Owen Gent.
What renovation work was carried out?
The designers said they added a ventilated crawl space, built a new roof with exposed timber beams and inserted a service core containing the kitchen and bathroom.
Can visitors book the apartment?
The source describes it as a home for people spending a few days in Milan, but does not confirm whether it is currently available for bookings or give rental details.
Source: rss
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