Three things I like

1. You know I like extraordinary movies (who doesn’t?)
2. You know I like Milan
3. You know I like to talk about I Saloni (also called Design Week).

The result of the above is this post!

During the Design week in Milan one of the most interesting installation takes place at the enchanting Villa Necchi Campiglio, set of the marvelous movie “I am love” by Luca Guadagnino, subject of one of  my previous posts  “An extraordinary house for a movie”.

Villa Necchi is a splendid example of rationalist architecture, surrounded by a park in the very center of Milan and with a marvelous pool, one of the few private ones in this city. It was designed by architect Portaluppi and built in the 1930’s for the Necchi family (Lombardy upper middle class, with a major factory of sewing machines): two sisters, Neda and Gigina and the second one’s husband, Angelo Campiglio.  The villa was donated by them to the Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI) and it is open to the public as a House-Museum.

The superb stairwell and the colored faux runner created for the event,

repeating the original color of the real one.

The installation is by Fabrica, talent incubator part of  the Benetton group, with the cooperation of important Italian companies, like Richard-Ginori, Moroso and others who re-created 25 objects and small pieces of furniture in the style of the house keeping in mind the lifestyle of the Necchi family, but with a contemporary
eye.

The Villa classic living room with Murano chandelier, rich draperies,

antiques and a great collection of art.

 

A modern coffee table with long blue fringes amongst antique chairs and sofas.

 

The veranda has a set of vases recalling the use of double and triple

pane windows in the house.

The contemporary travel-chair in the corner of the study was

created to match the antique travel-desk of Dr. Campiglio.

In the huge walking closet (one of the few in 1930 Italy) a hunter-purse recalls the love of

the Necchi sisters for hunting and for collecting fox furs (politically correct at the time).

The grand entrance to the dining room with the obvious love of a rationalist architect for symmetry. (After Second World War the family called another architect, Tommaso Buzzi, to restore the house and make it more traditional and classic, and more in line with a time of joy after such a big tragedy, this is why we see so different styles).

A new set of China with the same decor as the ceiling: stars and horses, with traditional recipes of the family printed on the back of each plate (I would love to read them!).

The classically ornate master bedroom with a contemporary small mirror

reflecting the fringes on the trim of an antique chair.

For the installation Fabrica has ordered two personalized fragrances, one for each spouse.

The sisters love for hats induced Fabrica to have a set of boxes in the shape of hats.

The sister who never married had many admirers so in her bedroom we see

a large vase collecting the notes from gentlemen sending her flowers.

In the butler pantry we can see some of the original Richard Ginori set of china and

on the small table the set of personalized glasses, all different for each member of the family.

The family Necchi-Campiglio loved playing cards and

Fabrica has re-created another way of keeping the Poker chips.

A view of the garden from above, with a beautiful wisteria and an old magnolia; if you think you have seen the statue already in one of my posts…yes! It was part of The Art’s Lady post, back then still in the house of Claudia Gianferrari, art historian who donated part of her collection to this House-Museum.

I also wrote about Villa Necchi in another post, in 2010, during I Saloni, a different installation of contemporary objects took place here.  To see those images read “Old houses and new design”.

A great project by Fabrica, conceived to add new significance to this marvelous house, recalling the lifestyle of its owners.


Photography by Alberta Cuccia

©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".


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