Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1545129
53 E nter Casa Milana, a third- floor apartment in a 1920s limestone building on Via Palermo in Milan's Brera Design District, and the first thing you notice is the terrazzo flooring — a colorful mosaic original to the architecture, flecked with color and formed into graphic shapes that feel like art underfoot. Those handmade floors became the inspiration for the latest furniture and Beni Rugs collections by the apartment's occupants, Milan-born Mario Milana and his American wife, Gabriella Campagna. In the family room, for instance, a rug reminiscent of brickwork is offset by a sculptural orange velvet chair. The couple, who previously lived in Brooklyn, transformed a former shoe showroom into a hybrid home and furniture gallery. When the apartment next door became available, they seamlessly expanded it into the adjoining space. Today, the high-ceilinged 4,000-square-foot residence serves as a dramatic backdrop to Milana's custom furniture, much of it produced by artisans based in or near Milan. Opposite page: Casa Milana office with Frequenza shelving system and Velum dining table. Clockwise from top left: Casa Milano entrance, side room, and family room with Beni Rugs.