So, you’ve found your perfect New York City apartment—great! Now comes the tough task of converting your swanky new residence into the home you have always dreamt of. However, designing an apartment is hardly ever an easy process—one always wants the best furniture and fixtures in their home, and given the struggle that’s often involved in finding such pieces, this can make interior décor a very pricey and difficult project to undertake.

Given that these are the circumstances one is faced with when trying to decorate a home, a recent proposal put forward by Design-Apart, a group of Italian artisans and designers, seems actually too good to be true. This enterprising firm is looking for someone to loan them an empty apartment preferably in the Downtown Manhattan area (which has at least 2,000-3,000 square feet of space) for a period of 12 months, during which they will convert the apartment into a “living showroom.”

So what does that exactly mean? Diego Paccagnella, founder of Design-Apart, says that once the company has furnished your apartment with the best of custom Italian design, they will showcase the finished home as an example of their fine work to potential clients. “Clients get an opportunity to not just see the products, but they will also get an idea of what it means to live in a well-designed environment,” Paccagnella explains.

But the question remains: what’s in it for you, as the owner of the said apartment? Well, at the end of the 12-month period, you get your home back with all of the Italian bespoke furnishings in it, and you won’t have to pay a single cent for the same. Yes, you read that right—every single piece of Italian design in the apartment will become yours at absolutely no cost to you. (Paccagnella says Design-Apart has a budget of up to $500,000 for designing the chosen apartment!)

Paccagnella says that the Design-Apart design process begins with a discussion with the apartment owner(s). The aim is to make the resulting home feel extremely personal, and Design-Apart’s team of skillful, talented artisans are well-equipped for that task. While the company may be a new face in the American market, the people involved with Design-Apart have years of international experience in European and Asian markets.

“We selected some of the best of Italian manufacturers—they make all the products here in Italy,” Paccagnella says. “They are specialized in products that are bespoke products; made to measure. They are very good in making projects that are personalized.” So, after meeting with the apartment owners and understanding the vision they have for their home, Paccagnella’s team will use their years of experience to pick the best Italian artisans to convert that vision into a reality.

It’s interesting to note that Design-Apart doesn’t intend to transform the apartment they get through this venture simply according to their own whims—as a firm dedicated to delivering Italian bespoke design, Paccagnella says that they are very insistent on incorporating the apartment owner’s dreams and ideals when converting his/her apartment into a living showroom. “For us, it’s very important for us to understand the detail and personality of the customer,” he says.

From bespoke wooden furniture to colorful glass accessories, one can expect a lot of beautiful embellishment to their homes in the capable hands of Paccagnella and his team. So, if you have an apartment that fits Design-Apart’s criteria, do not delay and take on Design-Apart’s offer of transforming your apartment. After all, it’s only a matter of 12 months, and we are pretty certain that we here at Elegran can help you find you a rental to live in for that period of time!

For more details on Design-Apart, check out their official site at www.design-apart.com.

All pictures courtesy Design-Apart.