We always love to see homes that manage to mix together period features and modern design, and this apartment in a stately mansion in the centre of Florence is a glowing example of how to manage this balance. Under high ceilings and arched walls, you'll find a colour palette of muted greys broken up by some welcome bursts of bold green and yellow, plus large artworks that nod to the city's illustrious heritage. The kitchen is both pleasingly contemporary and much larger than we often see in homes this size. Add to this a chic bathroom that very much belongs in a classy hotel, and you've got an address that scores high in the style stakes. It also helps that the location is fantastic, too. Just ten minutes' walk away is Fortezza da Basso and the gardens to the front of the Renaissance fortress. The Accademia Gallery — home to Michaelangelo's David, no less — is a similar amount of time away, while the iconic Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is a mere fifteen-minute stroll from the front door.

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