Words Kate Jacobs
Photography Julian Hargreaves
In this post-industrial Milan loft, Tommaso Spinzi has created a hybrid space that blurs the boundaries between gallery, creative laboratory and home. It’s a special kind of apartment that can incorporate a sleek vintage sports car without it eclipsing everything else, and Tommaso has the honed aesthetic and sheer confidence to pull it off.
The designer’s Milanese home, atelier and showroom provides a gallery-like setting for a host of playful, provocative statement pieces, where his own bold furniture designs sit easily alongside classic Italian pieces from the 1970s and 1980s.
The designer’s eponymous studio, Spinzi, combines furniture and interior design with art direction, and features an online store showcasing rare vintage Italian designs. “Spinzi is a creative atelier that specialises in the art of the interior,” says Tommaso. “Our one-off and limited edition pieces of furniture merge the worlds of art and design. We also curate spaces and design interiors for our closest clients and, in the process, offer an amazing range of mid-century modern collectables,” he explains.
Having grown up in the Lake Como area, north of Milan, the dramatically beautiful landscape and sophisticated lifestyle of the region have both contributed to his love of design. “Being in such a wonderful spot has influenced my vision of beauty. Since I was a child, I have been attracted to unique cars, motorcycles, boats, houses, and interiors. The idea of ‘Made in Italy’ for me is a combination of passion, artistic vision and authenticity.”
As an adult, Tommaso has lived and worked in various locations around the world, including New York and Tokyo. In 2019, he was living in Melbourne when he came across this place online, located in the Affori district of Milan, prompting a decision to head home and make the city his base for Spinzi. Built around 1900, this apartment originally served as a post office stable complex before being converted into a carpenter’s workshop. “The space was quite scary and run down, but I was fascinated by its old windows and walls, and could only see the potential.”
Passionate about industrial spaces and the aesthetic of Brutalism, Tommaso was keen to preserve the building’s integrity while refining it to align with his aesthetic. Keeping the mezzanine level and windows as they were, he made only simple adjustments to retain the building’s rugged character. “I stripped it down to the basics, creating a white canvas to express some of my passions; it has become a container for them.”
He gave careful thought to the finishes with a micro-cement floor by Innovative Surface “that adds a touch of refinement”. He opted for a grey colour that references concrete, as well as the cloudy days of the Milanese winter. The walls were left unplastered and simply painted in a carefully chosen off-white, “leaving some nice natural patina in plain sight”. Stainless steel is a signature material for Spinzi, and Tommaso has included steel doors and recesses. “I wanted to create futuristic elements, taking inspiration from the masters of Italian and French architecture – especially the 1950s Modernists such as Jean Prouve, Gio Ponti, Carlo Mollino, Piero Portaluppi, Caccia Dominioni, Marco Zanuso and Franco Albini,” says Tomasso.
With the bones of the apartment in place, Tommaso began layering on the furniture, art, and lighting, featuring mid-century Italian pieces from his collection, showcased alongside limited-edition Spinzi pieces and prototype experiments. “It’s what I call ‘fusion’. I like to combine my passion for mid-century and rare furniture and have them converse with the pieces that I design, prototype and make for my clients.”
The mix works well with recurring motifs, forms and materials that create a cohesive whole. Pneumatic curves – circles, cylinders and arches – are everywhere, while a space-age, retro-futuristic mood prevails. Alongside the metal elements, Murano glass in vivid colours and wildly sculptural forms features prominently. Almost every piece in the apartment has a strong, sculptural element – not least the 1980s Porsche 911 Carrera.
“I’ve always been passionate about cars, and this has led me to put the car inside my space, almost as a sculpture and, at the same time, a creative inspiration. With my team, I’ve done a few creative works on different cars, which I’ll be unveiling on my personal Instagram and the Spinzi site.”
The Spinzi works on display include travertine Medusa stools, columnar Circus tables and an Abstraction rug inspired by the landscape and colours of Lake Como. “Our furniture design pieces are the outcome of a continuous research process, fuelled by dreams, passions and visions. These functional sculptures all express a deep connection with Italian history, nature and culture. I am always fascinated by the industrial past of Italian cities, especially when it comes to furniture, cars, fashion, and craftsmanship in general. I take inspiration from it. I’ve decided to start this chapter in Milan, but it is something that could be adapted to other Italian cities.”
The apartment has become a home, workspace and gallery. “This is a modern concept for living, where work and personal life come together. It’s my sanctuary, where I create, where I meet my clients, where I brainstorm new ideas, and where I reflect on upcoming projects. But it does mean that I’m never ‘off’,” he says with a laugh. “The space is an ever-evolving wunderkammer, a cabinet of curiosities, with pieces that are studied, placed and combined to create a story that reflects a vision of Spinzi. We believe that great design should be timeless and, at the same time, out of the box.”
