Visionnaire…a wonderful story…

Have you ever heard of Visionnaire? It is a concept store and design gallery which, as on the first page on their website, represents “A wonderful story in the heart of Milan”. The  company, funded in 1959 is based in Bologna, a beautiful city not far from Milan where the first University of the western world was founded in 1088 (yes you read right… XII century)

On the hills outside Bologna there is a XVII century family home where the artistic director of this brand of luxury furniture lives with her family. The majestic staircase, the brick wall, the beams on the ceiling tell an ancient story, the contemporary furniture speak about Italian design and the philosophy of the brand.

 

The large living room has subtle neutral colors, with a pop of red on the ottoman. The impressive chandelier, the sofa, the bookcase are all designed for Visionnaire.

 

A mix of styles in the kitchen with sleek dining table, Ghost chairs and a fun interpretation of a banquette.

 

White chandelier, white lacquered kitchen cabinets and the warmth of the wooden beams.

 

The kitchen opens to a sunny terrace.

 

In one bedroom sun and fresh air enter through large windows, an ornate chandelier contrasts with contemporary art on the wall.

 

A bathroom with aqua colored mosaic, a voluptuous, unexpected chandelier and a large mirror reflecting the artistic ceramics on the opposite wall.

Almost all furniture and accessories in this house were created by a team of designers expressly for Visionnaire as for this very unusual glass bookcase.

All images by Max Zambelli

 

Last chance…

Don’t forget to participate to my Give-Away, clicking HERE…leaving a comment on the Post you could win a fantastic set of  silk pillow and silk mask, courtesy of Manito Silk, perfect for travel. Winner will be announced on Friday, July 18th.

©2014 Brillante Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".
If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section.  We love your comments!
If you need help to enjoy your home more, please send us an email.  It will be an investment in happiness at home, because a well designed house is always a good part of a great life and a beautiful room will make you happy every time you walk in!

New trends at “I Saloni 2014” Milan.

 

At gorgeous Palazzo Litta in Milan, open to the public for the Design Week, also called I Saloni and Fuorisalone, some new pieces of furniture with sleek shapes play with baroque decorations.

 

Established & Sons celebrates its 10th year of presence at I Saloni with a new chandelier.

 

Missoni creates a magic atmosphere.

 

Dutch brand Moooi displays furniture and accessories against Massimo Listri’s stunning photography.

 

Baccarat celebrates “250 years of modernity” with an exclusive and extravagant party in the church of San Carpoforo, in Brera area.

 

Foscarini and Inventario create a playful exhibition at celebrated Poldi Pezzoli Home-Museum.

Photography by Donatella Simonetti and Lea Anouchinsky

©2014 Brillante Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".
If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section.  We love your comments!

If you need help to enjoy your home more, please send us an email.  It will be an investment in happiness at home, because a well designed house is always a good part of a great life and a beautiful room will make you happy every time you walk in!

Brillante choice

 

The 2014 Milan Furniture fair, also called I Saloni, is fast approaching.

The event this year will be even more “social” than before also due to the latest creation by Jake Phipps for Casamania: a whimsical light that will bring a smile to every face.

The pendant lamp appropriately called “Tweetie” represents a cage with birds and it is a fun reference to the birds cheering homes since the Egyptian civilization, then status symbol especially in English homes and of course a reference to our social-media-world.

The light is LED and the cage is gold plated to make it a precious object, the birds are by Bosa, one of the leader companies for innovative ceramic.

Tweet, Twitter, Tweetie…Tweet Tweet…if you like it!

©2014 Brillante Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".

If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section.  We love your comments!

If you need help to enjoy your home more, please send us an email.  It will be an investment in happiness at home, because a well designed house is always a good part of a great life and a beautiful room will make you happy every time you walk in!

Past, present and future

 

In the world of design often we find new ideas based (either coincidentally or on purpose) on old ones. The same goes for other aspects of our life, of course, many times what is old is new again, not just our mother’s dress, all of a sudden fashionable again, but even an old love can become new again. But let’s concentrate on design… and play today with similarities in furniture and lighting, at times separated by decades.

Marshmallow sofa by George Nelson, 1956
Borhese Sofa by Noé Duchaufour Lawrance for La Chance, 2012

 

 

Sacco by Gatti, Paolini, Teodoro for Zanotta, 1968

Boa by Campana brothers for Edra, 2002

 

 

Philippe Starck Zenith chandelier for Baccarat,  2003

Ron Gilad  designs Dear Ingo for Moooi, 2003

 

 

Poul Henningsen designed PH Artichoke pendant for Louis Poulsen in 1958

Ingo Maurer designed Zettel’z 6 in 1998

 

 

Nesting coffee tables by Gianfranco Frattini for Cassina, 1960

Nendo designs Cloud Table for Moroso, 2012

 

 

Gala rattan chair by Franco Albini for Bonacina, 1951

Felt chair by Marc Newson for Cappellini, 1993

Now I am wondering: would these new creations have been born without their iconic predecessor? Whatever the answer is I love them all, old and new. What do you think?

©2013 Brillante Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".

If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section. I love to hear from you!

Favorite textiles and gorgeous furniture

I have loved Rubelli textiles, founded in Venice in 1858,  as long as I can remember, my mother used them in our family’s houses and I have used them for my houses and often for clients. When in Venice one of the treats for me is to go to their showroom at Palazzo Corner Spinelli on the Grand Canal (you can see images on my previous blog “Rubelli in Venice” HERE) and of course there is a beautiful showroom also in Milan where I go often (images on my previous post “Rubelli in Milan” HERE).
In 2005  Rubelli bought Donghia, with its lines of furniture, textiles and lighting, founded by Angelo Donghia in the 60’s.

Rubelli-Donghia Venice showroom

From Donghia website: “ A fine aesthetic sensibility, discerning eye for quality and concern for comfort in the complete lifestyles that he created made Angelo Donghia one of America’s most influential interior designers. His style, characterized by simplicity of line, purity of materials, boldness of form and sensual textures and shapes, was sought after by many”.

In the 70’s “Angelo Donghia became so renowned throughout the country for his look that the Detroit News called him “the Saint Laurent of sofas” while Angelo Donghia himself noted, “The liberation we’ve achieved through clothing has happened to furniture.” He received many awards and he was also, posthumously, inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame.

Rubelli-Donghia Milan Showroom

A few images from I Saloni, Milan 2011, reflecting Donghia’s style.

 

 

Donghia furniture and lighting plus Rubelli textiles…

a winning combination of refined luxury.

©2012 Brillante Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".

If you need help to enjoy your home more, please send me an email.  It will be an investment in happiness at home, a well designed house is always a good part of a great life and a beautiful room will make you happy every time you walk in!


If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section. You’ll make me happy!

Pizza-Kobra!

  

In my previous post "Can you guess what it is?" I had the  image of a strange object…

 

It is an unusual light, called appropriately "Pizza-Kobra" by Ron Arad for I Guzzini, an unstructured, flexible lamp which at times resembles a pizza, at times a cobra...depending on the mood at bed time!


                            Thanks to one of my readers, Bobby, I found this video on YouTube
                            

Always interesting to hear designers talk about their creations.

To read more about the apartment above go to my previous post A classic apartment.

Nobody guessed what it was, not even A Critic’s Eye who is always the first to answer!

Till next time…

©2011 Brillante Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".
If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section.

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The red affair

A whimsical  suspension lamp by Raffaele Celentano for Ingo Maurer, created with a  circle of bottles filled with a vibrant ruby color drink: Campari soda.

Bitter Campari is an Italian alcoholic aperitivo, obtained with a secret formula from the infusion of herbs and fruit, including chinotto, in alcohol and water. In the Italian market, Campari mixed with soda water is sold in individual bottles as Campari Soda (10% alcohol by volume) it is considered the first pre-mixed drink in the world and has always been presented in its signature bottle that was designed in the ‘30s by Fortunato Depero. Its unmistakable conical shape is still today an icon of the Italian aperitivo.

Fortunato Depero sketches for the bottle.

A brief history of advertisement for Campari:

1920

1921

1931

1936

1960, XVII Olympic games in Rome

1970’s

1980’s

2010, Vanessa Beecroft design

Red passion, timeless bottle design, delicious drink.

©2011 Brillante Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".


If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section.

I love to hear from you!

Brillante choice

Tolomeo lamp by Artemide.

The iconic Tolomeo lamp, designed in 1987 by Michele De Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina, became an instant best-seller. It is produced by Artemide.  The lamp received the highly recognized prize of Il Compasso d’Oro, an industrial design award created in Italy in 1954.

 

Tolomeo Micro Pinza, baby clamp light under kitchen cabinets.

Many years later Tolomeo is still admired for its lightness and purity of lines in the original design and in all the later additions as floor lamp and wall lamp. Interiors & Sources readers named the Tolomeo LED task light the best lighting product of 2010, based on the light’s performance, aesthetics and sustainability.

Do you own a Tolomeo? Tell us where you put it and what you most love about it.

©2011 Brillante Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".


If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section.
I love to hear from you!

Extravagant lights

An extravagant lady with her new lighting creation.

I love Paris.

Gone fishing!

Not for every space…

I found this fascinating!

It is called Ortenzia and it looked like candies wrapped in golden foil.

Chips is the appropriate name of this lighting.

Just for fun!

One of my favorites.

What do you think about these images? All these extravagant lights, some in my opinion really “too much”… were exhibited at I Saloni in Milan and I will show soon many more, since this year Euroluce was part of the Design Week and I saw gorgeous ones.

All images ©Albarosa Simonetti

©2011 Brillante Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".
If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section.
I love to hear from you!