Only in Milan could a cocktail party double as a six-room immersive exhibition of Italian design.
Last night, CULTURED and Artemest turned a storied 19th-century palazzo into a stage for contemporary Italian craftsmanship, unveiling the third iteration of the design platform's "L’Appartamento" exhibition during Milan Design Week. Housed within Palazzo Donizetti—an opulent construction blending Renaissance, Baroque, and Liberty details—the event showcased six international design studios: Meyer Davis, Simone Haag, Nebras Aljoaib, Champalimaud Design, Romanek Design Studio, and 1508 London.
Each year, "L’Appartamento" reinvigorates a different historic Milanese landmark, inviting a coterie of designers to do so using Artemest’s collection of furniture, lighting, and decor. Past editions have taken roost at a 1930s apartment on Via Cesare Correnti and the stately Residenza Vignale. This season’s transformation of Palazzo Donizetti, with its frescoed ceilings and grand elliptical staircase, proved that long-standing architecture needn’t stay static—especially with visionary creatives on hand.
Guests mingled under soaring arches—among them LaDoubleJ’s JJ Martin, design connoisseur Athena Calderone, curator Alexandra Cunningham Cameron, and design purveyor Nina Takesh—with CULTURED Editor-in-Chief Sarah Harrelson welcoming them into the immersive space. As the night wore on, celebrated interior designer and creative director Robert McKinley and In Common With’s Nick Ozemba and Felicia Hung also joined, toasting to the singular interiors that each studio had meticulously curated.
This year's edition of "L’Appartamento" didn’t merely showcase artisanal savoir-faire—it brought the past and present into seamless conversation. The only question that remains is, how will Artemest top this next year?
