Inspiration and Heritage in the Frattini Family’s Small Holiday Abode

In Portofino, lies a rare architectural treasure: the small holiday apartment of the Frattini family. Designed by the late renowned architect Gianfranco Frattini in the 1970s, it resembles an elegant old ship, drifting through the years.

At approximately 400 square feet, the apartment embodies Frattini’s creative flair and love for minimalist living. Frattini cleverly utilized limited space through specially made flexible furniture, such as a pull-down dining table hidden in a wall cabinet and a pull-out queen-size bed hidden under the table at the other end, to create a comfortable space for the family of four and showcase design charisma that emphasizes on functionality and art.

Frattini’s children, Marco Frattini and Emanuela Frattini Magnusson (one EFM Group’s co-founders), still return to the apartment regularly to enjoy life in the design spirit left by their father. The apartment stands as an enduring example of Frattini’s design philosophy - where functionality and aesthetic appeal are not mutually exclusive but rather, intertwined to create a harmonious whole. It’s a place where every detail has been considered, every element serves a purpose, and every corner tells a story.