The Lake Como Hotel, designed by Patricia Urquiola in 2016, opens its latest penthouse dedicated to modernist design and a new e-commerce to shop furniture, accessories and textiles from the hotel

The Penthouse at Il Sereno Hotel, Lake Como, designed by Patricia Urquiola, boasting breathtaking views of the lake and featuring designs from Italian masters as well as the architect’s own pieces for Italian furniture brands. The Penthouse, as well as several accessories and textiles from the hotel, will be available from the hotel’s newly-launched e-commerce platform

Lake Como’s Il Sereno Hotel and Milanese designer Patricia Urquiola unveil a new penthouse space, ‘inspired by Post-war Italian glamour, La Dolce Vita, Modernist Italian Designers’ as well as local silk-manufacturing traditions.

The hotel originally opened in 2016, and expanded into a nearby 16th-century villa in 2018. When it opened, it was the first new structure to be built on the shores of Italy’s Lake Como in 70 years, with a design inspired by local architect Giuseppe Terragni’s Rationalist structures and a palette of colours and materials nodding to its lake surroundings. ‘The lake is all about integrity,’ said Urquiola, who referenced the architect’s rigorous lines in her façade design in glass, wood and stone.

Il Sereno Penthouse: a celebration of Italian design

The bedroom space in the penthouse features Patricia Urquiola’s ‘L60’ bed for Cassina with bespoke textiles inspired by the lake surroundings

The latest space to open at Il Sereno is the Signature Penthouse. A one-bedroom suite with breathtaking floor-to-ceiling views of the lake and mountains, a living and dining area as well as lake-facing garden and terrace, the space features a material-rich palette of Venetian Terrazzo floors, Canaletto Walnut ceilings and Ceppo di Gre walls. Throughout, Urquiola selected contemporary pieces (such as her ‘Love Me Tender‘ sofa for Moroso and ‘L60’ bed for Cassina) as well as icons of Italian design, such as Gio Ponti chairs and an ‘Infinito’ bookcase by Franco Albini and Franca Helg dominating the living space.

The living space with Urquiola’s ‘Love Me Tender’ sofa for Moroso and ‘Infinito’ bookcase by Franco Albini and Franca Helg. The sofa, as well as the Cassina coffee tables and ceramics from Bitossi are available from the hotel’s newly-launched e-commerce

The penthouse also marks Il Sereno’s first foray into e-commerce, with a dedicated digital retail space offering the penthouse’s key furniture pieces (from the sofa and bed to the chairs, tables and lighting), modern and contemporary accessories by Ginori, Venini, Bitossi and Salvatori. The shopping selection includes specially-commissioned rugs and blankets used throughout the hotel: ‘Guests were asking us about these pieces, so it felt like a natural move,’ says hotelier Luis Contreras, who worked closely with Urquiola on the hotel’s conception, design and future development. ‘We want to challenge ourselves and try to make something a little bit different,’ he says. ‘If possible, better.’ §

The study in the Penthouse, featuring Franco Albini’s ‘Luisa’ chair by Cassina and the ‘Model 537’ lamp by Gino Sarfatti, produced by Astep

The bathroom at Il Sereno Hotel penthouse

The dining area features Franco Albini’s ‘Luisa’ chairs and the ‘Luna’ lamp by Gio Ponti

Bespoke drinks cabinet in walnut and marble

The living area faces the lake, with furniture including Patricia Urquiola’s ‘Love Me Tender’ sofa for Moroso and Franco Albini’s ‘Infinito’ bookcase

The secluded garden of the Penthouse, with outdoors funiture by Patricia Urquiola

The lake-facing terrace

INTERIOR DESIGN PATRICIA URQUIOLA FURNITURE DESIGN