Pause Perfect

Combining classic modern design, characterful vintage finds, intriguing artworks and a discerning colour palette, this 19th century apartment in Berlin offers a calm homecoming for its nomadic owner

- Mandy Allen

When you spend as much time travelling as Remo Masala does, you become acutely conscious of the things that count in life: ‘a seasonal capsule wardrobe’, the ‘best Italian coffee my machine can make for the pre-dawn airport commute’, and ‘a place to return to, somewhere to restore balance’. That place is a light-filled, open and functional 19th century apartment in a leafy Berlin neighbourhood where a rich cultural past vibrantly intersects with the cosmopolitan present.

Leading the division for new concepts and brands as group creative director for travel industry heavyweight Thomas Cook, Remo approaches the business of design with a trend-forward instinct and a refined aesthetic. This style savvy has translated into a personal space that is eclectic and interesting without superfluous layers of clutter or sentimentality: an interior composed of materials that marry rough with luxe; a neutral palette of unifying colours that gently graduate from crisp whites to moody grey and clay; a balanced assembly of graphic artworks, vintage finds, heirlooms, classic design and humble objects – some handmade, some timeworn – that celebrate the charm of imperfection; and an overall visual sobriety that many of Remo’s friends describe as ‘rather masculine’.