Design is in the details at the recently opened Condominio Monti in Rome. Spread across two neighboring buildings in the city’s historic Monti district, the 33-room boutique property—just steps from the Colosseum —merges color, patterns, and prints with a concept that harkens to the past. Matteo Soddu of local architecture and design firm StudioTamatt describe it as an exotic getaway “because it is not merely inspired by the neighborhood and Rome. We did something new [that’s] cozy at the same time.”

The rooms comprise independent studio apartments with painted wood beamed-ceilings and a 484-square-foot penthouse with a private terrace. Each features colorful prints by Milan-based artist Elena Campa, custom headboards and nightstands, exotic-patterned panels on open wardrobes, and bold color combinations in rich magenta, blue, yellow, and orange blended with softer, more hushed tones chosen by Sabina Guidotti of Rome-based color factory Bludiprussia. She looked for tones that recalled “freedom and love for travel contrasting with what is left from the past, “ she says, “[with] an eye on nature.”

In the stairwell, ceramic and brass insects adorn the walls of the stairwell, while framed leaf prints and neon lights in guestroom bathrooms are inspired by the symbols of the Monti district. Downstairs in the reception—done in a contemporary blend of greens and gold—a wall piece features tiny chairs for a whimsical touch.

On the ground floor, the property includes the Magasin bistro-bar and Osteria Oliva, led by Michelin-starred chef Fabio Baldassarre. Meantime, the rooftop terrace offers stunning views of the Colosseum and Rome’s rooftops. “Our ultimate goal was to attain a point of subtle contrast between what you can discover during the day in Rome and the temporary private space,” says Soddu “that is elegant, yet contemporary.”