Brillante Interiors

Saturday, March 10, 2012

The joy of winter

Blue

The joy of winter I said…or winter blues? Well…the greatest joy is that in a few weeks it will be over and Spring will hopefully bring more sun and more colors. In the meantime, also for the still cooler days here are some comforting images.
Above a pile of pillows in blue and green, blue rug by IKEA and a beautiful knitted pouf.

Red

Red as in fire…Chair upholstered in linen, mohair throw in ruby red, a teapot dressed whimsically, a red paper lantern inspire warmth and coziness.

More blue

Blue walls, warm wood floor, wood tabouret, candles and fur throws for a romantic evening.

Let’s enjoy the last month of Winter, soon we’ll be complaining about the heat!

Images source

©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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Thursday, March 8, 2012

A house of books

In the living room of this penthouse in Rome we can find an early 1800 table and chairs and a modern Tolomeo lamp by Artemide, sleek vintage grey velvet armchairs and oriental rugs but above all many, many books. In this apartment there are only a few walls, bookcases are the main character and are used as walls, as separation, even for framing the windows as you can see above. An idea to steal!

Large bookcases in the study with a Louis XVI desk and a fun table lamp with a seal playing with an ostrich’s egg. All rooms have stunning Iroko wood floor, also known as African Teak.

The vintage, 1970’s, center table is made of white travertine.

A collection of decanters and pitchers reflects the light.

Vincenzo Gemito sculpture, head of a Neapolitan young boy.

A sink carved in stone and enameled grès tiles for the wall in the powder room.

In the bedroom an antique oil painting over the bed, covered in cut velvet

and, of course, many more books.

The same textile covers the comfortable vintage chair near the tall bookcase

framed by an antique fireplace mantel. Another idea to steal!

In a corridor upstairs a great collection of photography,

mostly representing family members.

A house with a sense of history, well lived and …well read!

Photography By Adriano Brusaferri

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Monday, March 5, 2012

Can you guess who she is?

Image by Bert Stern, Vogue 1965

Continuing with the beauties of the Sixties still dictating style today:
Model, actress, style icon…don’t be fooled by her hair! Hope you have fun guessing!

The answers will be published all together next week.

Please don’t comment on Facebook, but only on this post, so nobody could see the answers before they are published by me. The first correct answer will have “an honorable mention” and a link to their website or blog.

©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 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!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

1960’s glamorous beauties

Benedetta Barzini and Mirella Petteni wearing Valentino. Image by Henry Clarke for Vogue, 1968.

Brigitte Bauer and Sue Murray in soft fluid silk dresses by Geoffrey Beene, photographed

by legendary Irving Penn for Vogue, 1966.

Italian top model Isa Stoppi photographed by Giancarlo Barbieri,

for the first issue of Vogue Italia, 1965.

Isa Stoppi by Giancarlo Barbieri for Vogue Italia, 1965

Italian top models Isa Stoppi and Tilly Tizzani for Harper’s Bazaar, 1966

Tilly Tizzani and Isa Stoppi for Harper’s Bazaar, 1966.

Top models Tilly Tizzani and Wilhelmina, photographed by William Klein, 1963.

Tilly Tizzani photographed by the great Bert Stern for Vogue, 1963.

Glamour…decades ago it was a lifestyle, a 24/7 job for top models, actresses and celebrities, certainly they were never caught with sneakers and ragged and shredded jeans like this days top models and actresses who show up at Oscar’s night with incredible gowns, often borrowed for one night only, and then go back to sloppy dresses and uncombed hair…

Style…is also a 24/7 job that include discipline and effort, just think about the supreme style of Queen Elizabeth, a masterpiece of lifestyle.

Is that why we are (I am for sure) so fascinated by images of beauties from the past? A time of gorgeous B &W photography on major magazines, of glamorous personalities, of style and elegance in the true sense. Nobody would have thought of photo-shopping the legs of …say Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly as they did with… what’s her name (Angelina Jolie?) after Oscar’s night when she showed proudly (?) a leg made of almost bare bones!
Having said that (rant rant…) now you can guess who could be my style icons and fortunately I can still find many even today.

Let’s play a little!

Old school style and glamour: who is your icon?

If you need help to enjoy your home more, please send me 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!

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Artist Sandro Chia returns to Italy

In a new book on Artist’s houses in Tuscany there is among others the house of Sandro Chia.
Near Montalcino, Tuscany, the internationally famous artist bought about twenty years ago a medieval castle, a twelve-century fortress called Il Romitorio, on a hilltop, surrounded by oak forests. Here he spends time during the year when he needs a rest from frenetic New York or sunny Miami, also to reconnect with his native Tuscany, that he left for North America in the 80’s.
Original stones, fallen roof tiles and original beams were restored and reused to give new life to the castle, at the same time of the restoration the vineyards were planted and now, after several years, Il Romitorio produces fine wines and grappa with the help of expert oenologists and tasty but light olive oil comes abundantly from the surrounding olive groves.

The library with large and well used bookcases, antique cotto floor

and charming pale green antique armchairs.

Sandro Chia’s paintings from 1980’s and 1990’s on the walls of the library.

The large living room with a gorgeous original floor restored to perfection, 17th century chairs,

a large tapestry and a wooden religious sculpture on the walls.

The attic was transformed in the artist’s studio, with a perfect light for

reading, meditating and working.

A luxurious retreat but with the unpretentious atmosphere of a country house, well lived and full of personality.

The book “Toscana, case d’artista” is written by Mariella Sgaravatti, with photography by Mario Ciampi.

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

Sunday, February 26, 2012

And the blanket goes to…

On a previous post (HERE) I was giving away two beautiful blankets kindly offered by Manito Luxury Silk: one Queen size silk blanket and one Baby silk blanket.

And the winners are…

Winner of the Queen size silk blanket in Camel color is Tamara of Delish Magazine (2nd comment received)

Winner of the Baby blanket is Peggy Braswell of Peggy Braswell Design (13th comment received).

Congratulations to both and thank you to all the other readers who took the time to comment.

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

If you need help to enjoy your home more, please send me 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!

Friday, February 17, 2012

Timeless Gabriella Crespi

Gabriella Crespi, 1970’s

Gabriella Crespi is turning 90 this year but her creations are still very young.

From Vogue Italia in the occasion of last September great retrospective exhibition in Milan:
“ Gabriella Crespi, a unique figure in the world of decor as were her furniture and objects. Curated by "our" Cesare Cunaccia together with Elisabetta Crespi, the designer's daughter and her assistant for years, the exhibition tells the story of this luxury craftsman through her creative process, who was born in 1922, and was particularly successful in the 60s and 70s. Her multifunctional furniture, often inspired by nature, and by precious materials have won, through decades, the hearts of people as the Shah of Persia, Gunter Sachs and Grace Kelly (…)”

Gabriella Crespi and one of her lavish metal sculptures.

Cesare Cunaccia says: "Gabriella Crespi's creative path is nothing but an urgency of the soul, an even cathartic and necessary motion, until, at the peak of her career as an artist and designer, she decided to abandon everything to settle the inner conflict had torn her existence forever. These extraordinary furniture, objects and sculptures, cannot be understood, as its double meaning of pure abstraction and emotional mirrors without first understanding Gabriella's personal story."

Brass and leather stools, one of her many innovative design.

She was the wife of Giuseppe Maria Crespi, part of one of the richest family in Italy, with a huge textile empire and owners of the Italian major newspaper but she did not have a factory or even a studio. She made detailed drawings of her ideas and brought them to skilled Milanese artisans, woodworkers and metal smiths.
But in 1987 she suddenly stopped. ''I rid myself of everything,'' she said. ''The showrooms, the warehouse, the Rome apartment, the house in Sardinia. Everything.'' Then she began searching for “the Truth” in India, following the ascetic Hindu holy men. She still lives in her Milan apartment part of the year, but her life there is more spartan, her diet is vegetarian, and she has become more frugal. ''But rich inside,'' she adds.
Read more on Gabriella Crespi in this 2005 article on The New York Times.

2011 exhibition of Gabriella Crespi design at Palazzo Reale in Milan.

There is now a renewed interest in her designs, she used a vast range of materials: metal, especially brass, bamboo, ivory, wood and marble to shells and gemstones. She produced mainly in the 1960's through the 80's, with forward and innovative pieces, furniture, accessories, jewelry, all signed and numbered, highly collectible.
You may remember this beautiful desk in Erin Lauder’s house, published in Elle Decor last year.

Timeless Gabriella Crespi!

Don’t forget to participate to my:

“TWO FABULOUS SILKY GIVEAWAYS” (HERE)

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

If you need help to enjoy your home more, please send me 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!

Monday, February 13, 2012

Brillante choice

Heart Cone chair by Verner Panton

In 1959, a few years before the explosion of pop art, Verner Panton introduced the Heart Cone chair, a variant of his previous Cone chair. Can you imagine that when the chair was exhibited in a shop window, in New York City, police had to order to remove it because of the chaotic traffic the futuristic, shocking chair created?! The world of design has changed dramatically since then. Vitra has re-issued this iconic piece in collaboration with the Panton estate.

"Most people spend their lives living in dreary, beige conformity, mortally afraid of using colors. The main purpose of my work is to provoke people into using their imagination and make their surroundings more exciting." -Verner Panton

©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 receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section.
I love your comments.

If you need help to enjoy your home more, please send me 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!

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Milan, where else?

From April 17 to 22 Milan will again host I Saloni, the annual exhibition of furniture, lighting, design, accessories that started 51 years ago and grows every year larger and better.
This year novelties: EuroCucina (everything for the kitchen, from cabinets to appliances to new technology) will have the addition for the first time of accessories related to food and conviviality and the general public will be admitted two days, on Saturday and Sunday, to visit the Fair, while the other days will be, as usual, trade only.

As I mentioned in the past (you can check all my posts on I Saloni scrolling on the right side of this blog and clicking on the corresponding image) the Fair is just one aspect of the Design Week, the parallel “Fuori Salone” with events, exhibitions, theatre productions, lectures, not to mention parties given by major brands, will be a way of immersing ourselves in the world of design and meet interesting people.

Brillante Interiors with Barnaba Fornasetti at I Saloni 2011

With Barnaba Fornasetti at Fuori Salone 2011

Brillante Interiors at Gervasoni, I Saloni 2011

One of my favorite booths last year: Gervasoni

Brillante Interiors and Patricia Urquiola at I Saloni 2011

With Patricia Urquiola at “Fuori Salone”2011,

in the background Ross Lovegrove.

Brillante Interiors at I Saloni 2011, Riva 1920 table

Riva 1920, gorgeous table at I Saloni 2011

Brillante Interiors at Donghia I Saloni 2011

Luxurios Donghia, at I Saloni 2011

An exhibition on the best designers at I Saloni in 2010

Fuori Salone 2010

See you in Milan?

DON’T FORGET TO ENTER MY “TWO FABULOUS SILKY GIVEAWAYS”

CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE!

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.