The December issue of AD magazine showcases five extraordinary homes where art takes center stage, not as mere decoration, but as an integral part of daily life. These residences, spanning from Austria to Venice, from New York to Berlin, demonstrate how contemporary art can enrich and transform living spaces in meaningful ways.
Art has always played a leading role in architectural design, but these homes go beyond traditional displays. The featured properties show how art can be woven into the fabric of daily life, creating spaces that inspire and engage residents every day. Each location tells a unique story of how homeowners have successfully integrated their passion for art with functional living spaces.
Schloss Hollenegg in Styria, Austria, represents one of the most ambitious art integration projects. Alice Stori Liechtenstein's family has lived in this castle for over 200 years, though parts of the building date back to the 12th century. The structure underwent significant renovations during the Renaissance and Baroque periods, including the addition of an inner courtyard with arcaded galleries similar to those found in Graz's historically significant Landhaus, the first Renaissance building in Styria.
Liechtenstein established the "Schloss Hollenegg for Design" program to add a contemporary layer to the castle's rich history. The initiative invites artists and designers to exhibit their work annually, with most pieces remaining permanently on the property. The kitchen features furniture on wheels that can be spontaneously rearranged, while Chinese drawings from the 19th century adorn the walls. The dining room showcases an embroidered tablecloth by Sarah Espeute, demonstrating how historical and contemporary elements can coexist harmoniously.
In Venice, architect Luca Bombassei has transformed a 15th-century palazzo apartment into a dynamic gallery space. His 4,300-square-foot residence on the second piano nobile features walls dotted with nails, allowing artwork to migrate freely throughout the rooms based on his mood and inspiration. The palazzo, one of Venice's oldest, provides the perfect backdrop for an impressive collection that includes works by Canaletto, Lucio Fontana, Giorgio de Chirico, Anish Kapoor, Miriam Cahn, Francesco Vezzoli, and the Berlin duo Elmgreen & Dragset.
Bombassei's restoration returned the grand rooms to their original splendor while creating a stage for furniture and accessories by renowned designers including Gae Aulenti, Angelo Mangiarotti, Ettore Sottsass, and Afra and Tobia Scarpa. He views this curatorial approach as his duty to a city he deeply cherishes, standing proudly before a Quaderna console by Superstudio. His dressing room features built-in wardrobes clad in two different types of mirror glass with handcrafted ceramic handles by Massimiliano Pipolo.
The design trio Tadan, consisting of Stella von Senger, Cecil von Renner, and Sebastian Hoffmann, has rapidly gained recognition in Berlin's art scene. Their primary expertise lies in art, though they also create interiors, design furniture, and craft enchanting lighting fixtures in collaboration with Katharina Ruhm. For a client who loves entertaining, they designed a Berlin pied-à-terre aptly named the "Party Apartment."
The Party Apartment features ingenious design elements that adapt to different social situations. Sliding doors transform one large room into several smaller spaces, while tables for two can be combined to create a grand dining setup. The entrance includes a cozy corner perfect for intimate conversations. The space showcases works by Wendelin Kammermeier, Julius Deutschbauer, Sonja Yakovleva, Sam Chermayeff, David Moises, and Max Paul, among others.
Film references heavily influence Tadan's work, with the apartment drawing inspiration from the New York apartment featured in Jerry Zucker's film "Ghost." The space includes a triangular bed designed by Berlin architect Sam Chermayeff, which the trio considers a statement against the traditional nuclear family concept. Shadow silhouettes by Sonja Yakovleva create dramatic wall art, while Martini glasses from Hering Berlin sit ready on side tables for impromptu gatherings.
Artist Not Vital represents another fascinating approach to living with art in the Engadin region of Switzerland. After years of international living and working alongside Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Julian Schnabel in New York, plus time in Rome, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, and Patagonia, Vital consistently returns to his roots in the Lower Engadin valley where he grew up as the son of timber merchants.
Vital's projects in the region include restoring Tarasp Castle, which impressed him as a child, and transforming his family home in Sent into a living artwork. On an idyllically located property he owns, he constructed a concrete studio with almost no windows, featuring a facade that appears to have been kneaded by giant hands. The studio receives natural light through narrow wall slits and roof openings, while the interior blurs the lines between everyday objects and sculpture.
One bedroom in Sent features tatami mats on the floor with synthetic hair curtains framing the entrance. The walls display drawings by Swiss artist Martin Dister alongside Vital's own works, creating an environment where the boundaries between nature and art dissolve completely.
Near Madrid, the AD 100 firm Casa Muñoz, founded by Mafalda Muñoz and Gonzalo Machado, faced the challenge of making a futuristic aluminum, steel, and glass house suitable for family living. The sculptural building stands on stilts clad in aluminum plates, creating an almost space-age appearance that initially seemed incompatible with warm, family-friendly living.
Muñoz and Machado solved this challenge with innovative solutions, including installing what appears to be a fireplace but actually functions as a bar finished in orange lacquer. They incorporated the healing power of walnut wood throughout the design, giving the cool, elegant villa the atmosphere of second-generation California modernism. The bedroom features light chestnut wood paneling with nightstands by M.-M. and lighting by François Dimoch, while the dining room showcases custom-designed table and chairs by the duo with a ceiling light by Michel Boyer for Ozone.
The kitchen, created in collaboration with manufacturer Artificio, uses dark walnut wood to create warmth and comfort within the otherwise minimalist structure. A highly minimalistic painting by John Isaacs provides a subtle artistic accent to the dining area, proving that even the most futuristic architecture can be transformed into a welcoming family home through thoughtful design and strategic art placement.
