ITALIAN JOB

A 19th-century Milanese villa has been given a new lease of life – revamped to show the creative side of an avid art collector and his family

- Claudia Baillie

It's called the Red Thread Theory – even though there's no real red thread involved. Instead, the phrase refers to a clever, sometimes subconscious interior design trick where a colour, texture or motif quietly links one room to the next. In this 19th-century Milanese home, that thread manifests itself as a sophisticated, dark blue shade that winds its way subtly throughout the four-storey building.

From the smart panelled stairwell and the glossy walls of the cloakroom to the high-shine custom dining table, the inky hue anchors each space with quiet confidence – proof that a single, well-chosen detail can bring an entire scheme into sync.