Casa Errante – living between Rome and the world

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Contemporary and international

In Rome, in the Montagnola neighborhood — in the city’s southern quadrant, not far from Eur — Casa errante takes shape, the latest project by architect Raffaella Falbo, completed in February 2025 after approximately six months of work. An apartment that has been completely renovated, transforming into a bright, welcoming, and functional space designed for a young family.

The clients, a cosmopolitan couple with a background in Oriental languages, U.S. origins, and a deep bond with Italian culture, shared an open and sensitive vision with the architect, focused on the pursuit of balance, authenticity, and everyday beauty.

“I wanted to attune myself not only to the pragmatic needs of the two clients, but also to those with an emotional resonance. For instance, in the kitchen, the oversized island is not merely a functional piece of furniture; above all, it evokes memories of the large family kitchen in the United States. Similarly, the passion for the Orient is reflected in the hand-painted chinoiserie—a reference that recalls not only the aesthetics but also the refined preciousness of certain traditional Chinese decorative elements.”

explains Raffaella Falbo

The interior design

The 120-square-meter home—originally in good condition but dated in its layout and finishes—underwent a renovation aimed at restoring functionality and lightness to the spaces. The new configuration includes a master bedroom with a walk-in closet and en-suite bathroom. It also features a second bedroom. There is a bathroom with an integrated laundry area. Additionally, new storage spaces are distributed between the entrance and the hallway. The project is based on an idea of functional balance and visual continuity, where custom furniture and bespoke cabinetry define domestic functions with sobriety and precision.

The entrance, completely redesigned, is characterized by an oak slatted wall and a large floor-to-ceiling mirror, behind which a wardrobe has been integrated. It is the first architectural gesture that introduces the material and color language of the entire project.

The living area revolves around the large Stosa kitchen. This kitchen is the true heart of the home. It is developed into three distinct yet complementary systems. The operational area is intentionally devoid of wall units and backsplashes to maintain an essential appearance. The storage area features full-height tall units that expand the space. The island of over three meters is conceived as a convivial yet storage-providing volume. It is capable of interacting with the room and ideally unites the kitchen and living into a single fluid area.

Details and Quality for An intimate and luminous daily life

The project stands out for its balanced use of materials and tones. Soft and sophisticated colors—terracotta, antique pink, sage green, and celadon—alternate with rich surfaces. These include the coffee-colored metallic laminate in the kitchen and the natural oak of the parquet and slatted wall. The atmosphere is warm and contemporary, permeated by touches of light and texture that lend the spaces an authentic and personal character.

The chromatic narrative also finds expression in the furnishing details. These details blend Oriental influences and American maximalism. This blend is balanced by pieces created by Roman designers. Among them are the hand-painted chinoiserie panels by Officine Adda and the Zolfo Borromini tapestry produced by Torrilana and designed by Effimero Barocco. Also included are the colorful ceramics by Ari De Luca, the Murales mirror and glass display cabinets by Giovanni Botticelli, and the poetic lighting by Barbara Andreotti. Each element contributes to a coherent whole, where interior design functionality merges with the lightness of an intimate and luminous daily life.

Casa errante is an example of how interior design can build a familiar and refined language, in which the architectural project does not impose itself but accompanies daily life with measured grace.

About Raffaella Falbo

After an extensive educational and professional journey, she gained experience at prominent international firms. She worked for five years at Atelier Jean Nouvel. Additionally, she collaborated with leading Roman studios including Alessandro Anselmi, N!Studio, Fabrizio Zamponi, and APST. Raffaella Falbo embarked on a path of research that combines design sensitivity with an exploration of materials.

From 2008 on, she has focused on interior design as a field of investigation where space, light, and materials dialogue to shape a perceptual and functional balance. Between 2012 and 2020, she founded Cri-lla. It is a project dedicated to experimenting with and enhancing artisanal surfaces such as cementine, graniglie, and Maghrebi zelliges. These are reinterpreted through a contemporary lens.

Since 2020, she has primarily focused on residential interior design, overseeing every phase with a keen eye for the coherence between architecture and daily life. Raffaella Falbo is convinced that inhabited space profoundly influences individual well-being. She interprets each project as a process of identity construction. In this process, proportion, light, and matter converge. They restore harmony and meaning to the spaces of living.

PROJECT CREDITS

Project Name: Casa errante
Architect: Raffaella Falbo
Construction Duration: 6 months (July 2024 – February 2025)

Project Area: 120 sqm
Project Photography: Edi Solari 
Portrait Photography of Raffaella Falbo: Guido Caltabiano