Brillante choice

The Saint-Louis Cristallerie is one of the most prestigious crystal glass manufacturers in the world. Back in 1586, a glassworks was established in Alsace-Lorraine. In 1767, King Louis XV gave permission for it to become the “Royal Glassworks" and “Saint-Louis” was added to its name. In 1781, the glassworks became the first in continental Europe to produce lead crystal. Saint-Louis then received the official title “Cristallerie”.
Since 1995, Cristallerie Saint-Louis has been part of the famous French Hermès Group.
with a fascinating collection of styles and glass creations, very finely and intricately decorated.
Brillante choice today is a set of  mouth blown, hand-cut crystal glass to be used as drinking glasses, as flower vases or as candle holders.

"Les Endiablés" Bubbles in mauve and purple.

"Les Endiablés" Stella in two shades of green.

"Les Endiablés" Cerdagne in a deep green.

"Les Endiablés" Chambord in a vibrant blue.

"Les Endiablés" Tommy, in a rich ruby red.

Versatile beauties!

My favorite: Tommy…which one is your favorite? Can you think about any other use of these?


©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".


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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".


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Let’s dream about Sorrento

A splendid Sorrento villa for sale by Sotheby's International.

A beautiful seafront villa near Naples, in the South of Italy, built in Neoclassical style over the remains of an important Ancient Roman villa dating back to the 1st century,  still visible and part of the grounds.
The beautiful gardens with more than 1000 species, from palm trees to orange trees,  have secret paths through a lush vegetation, adorned with Greek - Roman statues, urns, fountains and of course breathtaking views. 

The grand entrance hall is full of precious Roman marble columns and statues.

 

Opulent Master bedroom

The villa features 9 bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms.

The property has a swimming pool, but among the villas’ unique features there is its private sea access and a sea-platform so you could swim directly to an amazing grotto with crystal blue water.

Spacious and filled with light living rooms, all opening to terraces and the magnificent views.

Lots of precious marble everywhere.

My favorite image: priceless weathered patina in the garden telling us about beauty and the passing of time.

Photography courtesy of Sotheby’s Realty

©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".


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B&W House

Cottage living room

You may know how much I love colors in houses but at times I am fascinated by the serenity of monochrome and I actually often love to shoot my photographs in B&W instead of color, so this time I am presenting you an interesting house on Shelter Island, completely restored by the New York firm Schappacher -White Ltd.
They are a couple in real life, she is an interior designer, he is an architect and what a combination  of talents. I always thought couples are quite lucky to share many interests and passions, just like designer Brooke Giannetti of Velvet & Linens and her architect husband Steve, I am always admiring their combined efforts and splendid results.  By the way they now also have a book by Barnes and Noble titled Patina Style, where you can too admire their talent.

Cottage living area

Going back to the couple from New York…they searched for a holiday retreat and found this cottage on Shelter Island, NY, where they can relax, enjoy cooking and gardening and where friends and family are welcome all the time. The cottage was built in 1904 as fishermen’s house and over the years became almost a wreck.
They decided to keep the original structure and give new life to the open space areas, creating  new  transitions between inside and outside, with new openings and doors French style and building a freestanding veranda with a fireplace that can keep them warm even in mild winters.

Colors are neutrals, white is the privileged choice and black accents create a great stark contrast.

Cottage guest room and bathroom

Upstairs the project required more effort, new closets, new wood floor, another bathroom, but as you can see they maintain the romantic atmosphere of a past era.

Cottage kitchen

Black ardesia takes the whole wall in the kitchen, where drawings and notes are added constantly by the family and their friends, creating a lively ephemeral mural.

Veranda and outdoor fireplace

An extension of the living area is the new veranda with the fireplace in red bricks found in a former factory in New York.

What I love most is that the whole project was done on a tight budget, using non expensive materials, reusing whenever possible, finding inexpensive pieces at flea markets, adding old items. Money was not the issue, but taste was and the house was created with an harmonious blend of old and new.

In this house every piece gives light to the others and everything has its place, no need for more!

Photography by Laura Moss

©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".


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Christian Lacroix!

The apartment featured on my post Can you guess whose house is this? was fashion designer Christian Lacroix’s previous house in the elegant Marais area of Paris, in a 16th century building.  Nearby the superb Place des Vosges, the Picasso Museum and the Carnavalet Museum to name a few attractions of the area.  Lacroix studied Art history, wishing to become art curator for Museums, but then he worked for years as the creative mind at Emilio Pucci’s fashion house and soon became a famous stylist with exuberant taste. You can see his style also in this house, full of antique elements and of contemporary daring choices.

Can you spot the whimsical Fornasetti’s chair?

Colored textiles, contemporary art and eccentric accessories frame the delicate original fireplace.
The large house is almost 7,000 sq. ft. and has 12 feet high ceilings.

 

 

 

 

 

All the original elements were perfectly restored, wood floors, gilded stucco, doors’ frames,

all in a typical French late 16th Century style.

 

Another treasure is the inside courtyard  of about 600 sq. ft. an oasis of tranquility in the center of Paris and I can imagine how alive it was during Lacroix’s famous dinner parties.

***

A few years ago Lacroix started using his talent also in the Interior decoration of three boutique hotels in Paris:

 

Hotel du Petit Moulin

 

Hotel le Notre Dame

 

 

Hotel Le Belle Chasse

Paris, boutique Hotels, Christian Lacroix creative genius…who can resist?

The first comment on my previous blog post with the right answer was from The Swan and you can see all the other comments on my previous post HERE.

©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".


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Les Macarons

Ladurée is a prestigious French maison of pastries and cakes, famous also for the incredibly light shells of meringue with the most delicious flavors of ganache inside, called macarons in French.

Ladurée flyer with the assortment of flavors.

 

The macarons were introduced to France by  Caterina de’ Medici, a wealthy Florentine who in 1533, at the age of fourteen, married the future King Henry II of France, who was also of the same age at the time.  The Florentine cooks who went with her brought the secrets of Italian cooking  including canard a l’orange and the pastry makers used their innovative genius with sorbets and ice creams,  pastries and of course pasta dishes.

Colorful Macarons

Paris store

Rendering for the Milanese new store.

In September 2011 another Ladurée store will open in Milan, the second one in a few years, and it will be designed by the famous French architect  Jean Nouvel.  I can’t wait to see it (well actually not just to see...)

If you have a few moments enjoy the sweet, in every sense, Ladurée website (HERE) it will bring you back to your childhood!


©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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