Croatian Crown

Internationally acclaimed Lana Banely Design was commissioned to bring new life to an Art Nouveau villa, whilst reinvigorating its classical roots. Tania Jacobs tours the result

In the centre of Opatija, a crown jewel of the Adriatic coast, boasting an exceptionally rich history and admirable architecture dating back to the times of the Habsburg dynasty, lies a beautiful 19th-century villa.

The town’s curious visitors strolling through the main street are usally left in awe when catching sight of the property’s facade adorned with ornate geometric and floral elements, inspired by Viennese Art Nouveau. The villa once owned by a local family however, is now split into several floors with multiple owners.

One of the new owner’s apartments which boasts glorious views of the sea, the city of Rijeka and the nearby Krk and Cres islands, decided to carry out a full renovation in order to return the interior back to it’s original splendour, with a hint of glamour from the period, while incorporating modern accents.

An integral element of the facade the main balcony, has retained its original form with rhythmic ceramic tiles and a stately decorative wrought iron fence, and serves as an inspiration and guiding light for the new design.

The facade is lush with architectural elements typical of the Art Nouveau period, dominated by columns, floral elements and geometric shapes, as well as stylised squares, circles, wreaths and vertical lines. The vision was to replicate this on the interior walls and carry it through to the furniture, custom-made based on Lana Banely’s designs.

For this commission, Lana Banely Design set a new record, ordering nearly 2,500 metres of decorative crown mouldings, with an installation that took four months. Thanks to these carefully selected mouldings, the team managed to construct the luxurious foundation, reminiscent of the period when the villa was built.

A further characteristic typical of Viennese Art Nouveau are the horizontal lines adding to the elegance of the space, which have been incorporated into the custom-made furniture constructed from lacquered MDF boards and American oak veneers.

The perfect finishing touch, one of the best-known modular sofas, the Camaleonda by B&B Italia, elegantly fits the space, its choice of colour so as not to distract from the stunning deep blue sea vista. To achieve a contrast with the single-colour sofa, the rug by Italian manufacturer Kartell was woven in multiple colours, its geometric shapes providing a playful design. The decision was made not to install too many elements on the TV wall, so that the crown moulding would remain the focal point.

In the sleeping area, Lana Banely Design have separated the space to create an open wardrobe on one side, and a luxurious bed on the other, with unobstructed views of the coast, enabling the flow of space to be circular and connected.

Due attention has also been paid to the lighting fixtures throughout, to achieve the desired relaxed ambience. Fixtures are custom-made, with a collection by Floos and Kartell. Moreover, nearly 100 metres of LED strips have been integrated into the curtain recesses, the closets and the mirrors, to enhance the low-key illumination vibe.

www.lanabanelydesign.com