This Berlin Loft Just Exudes Effortless Cool
Name: Daniele Federico Melilli and dog Yolanda
Location: Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood — Berlin, Germany
Type of home: Loft apartment
Size: 1528 square feet
Years lived in: 7 months, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: My name is Daniele, and I’m an Italian living in Berlin. I’m the co-founder of an interior design tech-startup called Raumtastik. I lived in Berlin since 2008, and moved into my dream flat just over seven months ago. The apartment is in the Prenzlauer Berg district, and it sits on top of a renovated “Altbau” (old construction) building. The apartment is in the attic; it was [an area once] used for all the tenants of the building to do the laundry and hang it to dry.
What I love about this apartment is how high the ceilings are, even though it’s a former attic (four meters high in the living room and three meters high in the bedroom). There are still the original, handwritten instructions for the washing machines and the electrical system framed on the walls as well as the knobs on the wall where the hanging thread was pulled between them. There are exposed beams all through the house, and that is something really special.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: My apartment is fun, urban, and cozy.
What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room is definitely the bedroom. It’s super cozy even though it’s fairly large, and I absolutely love the combination of materials in one room: concrete, wood, bricks, and the most perfect green walls (it took me a while to find the perfect shade of green). The art I chose for this room is pretty spectacular too, and makes the ceiling look even higher.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? I bought the two leather butterfly chairs.
Any advice for creating a home you love? Feel the rooms! Feel your home! Live in it for a while; look around yourself and try to imagine what would make you happy in that room, and then start designing. Pinterest can be a big help, too.
This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.