The Joy of Summer

You have to agree with me…one of the best parts of summer is surely being able to dine al fresco surrounded by scented flowers, greenery, balmy air.  The image above presents a solution by Unopiù, with simple lines for table and chairs. Of course the magic atmosphere is created by the lights in the pool and on the trulli, a traditional Apulian dry stone huts with a conical roof.





By Ethimo a young and colorful series of tables and chairs: eggplant, bamboo, olive…


A classic Italian garden furnished by Driade, more sophisticated but with a touch of exotic atmosphere.


A beautiful sofa and chair by Gervasoni, created to be outdoor under a portico or in a veranda.  I can see these pieces of furniture also inside a country house or a seaside cottage, they look ultra comfortable and elegant.


Simple lines, light and comfortable iron chairs by Unopiù.  I love the white cushions and the low table for drinks and finger food.
So no matter if you are in a villa with pool, a cottage by the seaside, an apartment with a small patio…there are pieces of outdoor furniture waiting for you to enjoy pleasurable hours al fresco.
Don’t forget to participate to my Give-Away, clicking HERE…you could win a fantastic set of  silk pillow and silk mask perfect for travel.
©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!

The beautiful homes of Portofino

 

Portofino is one of my (many) favorite places in Italy, and I found a book “Case di Portofino” (text is also in English) with wonderful photographs by Adriano Bacchella, truly a selection of the most attractive homes of the small town, once a fishing village famous now for its picturesque harbor where the rich and famous live or visit.

At the entrance to Portofino this house, built in the style of early ‘900 has the typical Ligurian decoration, used in the past by some aristocratic families of the region,  horizontal stripes in yellow and grey.

 

Another early ‘900 villa, with a magic view over the small gulf which can be enjoyed from a lush garden.

 

A late ‘800 villa on the sea with a magnificent scenography created in the garden for the new owners.

 

Let’s enter some houses: white dominates this living room, from pure linen used on the sofas to soft draperies framing the view. Contemporary art and antique furniture create interest and the floor inside and on the large terraces is marble with inserts of ardesia, a natural stone extracted locally.

 

A different approach in this house with rustic beams, vivid blue and vibrant orange, warm and comfortable.

 

More blue, electric blue for another house, on the fireplace art by Mino Gatti.

 

An elegant  dining room with large French doors opening to the panorama.

 

Isn't charming? A penthouse terrace with a typical black and white tile floor, perfect for a romantic dinner.

 

Large gathering can be possible in this relaxing garden with several distinct “rooms” as the living area under the wisteria, the dining in the background, the large grass area where to tan.

 

Finally a magic image of an exterior at sundown with an old bougainvillea creating drama in the lush green.

Don’t forget to participate to the Give-Away, clicking HERE…you could win a fantastic set of  silk pillow and silk mask perfect for travel.

 

©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!

Bed behavior and a Give-away

It is time again for a great give-away, courtesy of Manito Silk Bedding.

All bedding are hand crafted from 100% Mulberry long strand silk with immaculate stitching and a charmeuse weave finish. Dress your bed in Manito silk and you'll discover luxury, elegance and sensuality like nothing else.

Manito's silk bedding is also the ultimate choice for comfort and health. Naturally breathable, 100% silk stays cool in the summer and keeps you warm in the winter for comfortable sleeping year-round.

If you ask how Manito differentiates from the legion of other silk products on the market:

1. They use a traditional charmeuse weave on a narrower, slower loom. This requires a seam on the sheets but the depth and feel of the charmeuse is incomparable - vastly superior to "seamless" sheets done on faster, wider looms

2.  Stitching and attention to detail is meticulous

3. They use only 100% long strand mulberry silk at a market leading 22 momme weight

4. Even the filling behind quilting is silk, not polyester !

And now… are you ready for a great Give-away?

Sweet dreams in the air (or wherever you lay your head) with this luxurious combination of silk-filled travel pillow and matching sleep mask.
It's super soft, gentle on your skin and hair, and will help you arrive in style. At just 12" by 14" it fits easily in your carry-on, purse, or briefcase. The removable cover is machine washable so its easy to care for and they have a firm fit to block light but not so firm that it puts pressure on your skin.
Pillows are available in Silver Blue and Charcoal, Plum and Soft Pink, Champagne and Chocolate.

Bon voyage!

To be entered in the draw all you have to do is:
-  be a resident of Canada or continental USA
-  visit Manito website HERE then come back to this blog and leave a comment (at the bottom of this post) saying what particular item you liked most; for Brillante Interiors fans, Twitter and Facebook  followers, or email subscribers, click HERE to leave a comment
- entry deadline is Midnight PST on Sunday, July 13th, 2014
- Winner will be announced on Friday, July 18th, 2014
If you don’t already have a link don’t forget to leave a contact in case you are the winner.

Thanks Manito for the giveaway and for being a Brillante Interiors Blog  valued sponsor.

©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!

MIA Milano

What a treat to be able to visit MIA , Milan Image Art Fair 2014.

The fair, organized by Fabio Castelli, founder and director and by Lorenza Castelli, director, is already in its 4th edition and in October they will also open the fair in Singapore.  It was such a variety of photography that I will have to be selective just to present to you only a few excellent examples.

 

You may know how much I love Black and White photography and I was enchanted by the poetry of the images by Alessandra Cevasco and Davide Marino who created Incantations.   Their recently published book Waters of Lethe presents not only their images but also their poetry, Haiku all the way on the theme of oblivion.

 

 

Surprise…I discovered that Charlotte Perriand was not also a great designer, working with masters of last century but, thanks to her daughter finding a large amount of negatives and images, now we all can enjoy also her brilliant photographic work.  ADMIRA was presenting her work at MIA.

 

 

Korea was represented by Bohnchang Koo, with ethereal, minimalist images.

 

I was intrigued by  Andrea Pozzuoli approach to photography, still life images old masters style become alive with broken glass flying around, more than 200 shots are put together to achieve each image.

 

A section was dedicated to internationally famous photographers, like Candida Hoefer, Fabrizio Ferri, Mimmo Jodice…

 

Finally…a real treasure for collectors of art books is HF Distribuzione, with online and worldwide mailing sale of precious texts. Worth exploring the catalogue!

Photography © Albarosa Simonetti

©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!

Architects live here!

From April 8th to 13th at the 2014 edition of I Saloni, in Milan, an exhibition will  show how eight of the most important architects in the world, from Zaha  Hadid to Marcio Kogan, from David Chipperfield to Shigeru Ban… live in their homes. Maquettes, images, videos, interviews will give the public an idea of their private lives.

Mario Bellini Milanese house is pictured above.

The exhibition, curated by Francesca Molteni and Davide Pizzigoni, shows also the Parisian apartment of Italian “archistars” Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas.

Images by Davide Pizzigoni, Maurizio Marcato.

Hope some of you will be in Milan these days to enjoy the 53rd edition of I Saloni. I have written many times about this important Fair and you can see all the articles in the Blog archive.

©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!

English Clubs

In April this year the internationally acclaimed and self taught designer Tom Dixon will be exhibiting for the first time at I Saloni, Milan.
He was already part for a few years of the Fuori Salone, major events around town, but in 2014 he will be also at the main exhibition in Fiera di Rho.
As he said the inspiration of his latest creations was the atmosphere of the historic London’s Club, often elegant retreats where culture, work, leisure can coexist, truly a home away from home.
Tom Dixon was recently in Vancouver at Inform Interiors and to know more about him you can read an interview by Scout Magazine HERE.

©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!

From Paris to Turin

 

The French-Italian owner of this Parisian apartment lives and works in Turin, Italy, where she runs Verdelilla concept stores. Her passion is fashion but also decorating and it shows in her stores and of course in this eclectic and colorful home.

The above image shows the dining area and kitchen separated by a large French door but still visually connected. Note the chairs, all different, and the whimsical colorful one which is sold at Verdelilla.

 

Vintage plum chairs and vibrant yellow velvet sofa but contemporary Zettel’z e Knuller ceiling light by Ingo Maurer.

 

Black front door, black settee in a stark white hallway.

 

The kitchen is traditional and contemporary at the same time, with a fun stenciled table top.

 

Pale pink, a touch of fresh yellow and dark coffee tones for Foulards wallpaper by Élitis

 

Traditional wood floor and classic fireplace, stark lights and Rocker.

 

In a corridor a display of Black and White photography plus a red vase from Rossana Orlandi.

Images by Helenio Barbetta

©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!