Moquette vs. Carpet

 

Recently, I had the opportunity of having a short article published in one of Italy's most important newspapers, La Repubblica.  More precisely, in the online version of Casa & Design, the home and design section of the newspaper.  The subject: carpet.  Or, since the article was in Italian, for the Italian public: moquette.  I must admit that it was a bit tongue and cheek in picking the topic, since I knew from the start that the Italian perception of (or prejudice toward) carpet is dismal to say the least.  Accompanying the article at the end was a poll "for" or "against" carpet-- the results were no shock: 81% against.  Yet, despite the great opportunity of writing for the site, there was clearly a missed opportunity and a skewed impression.  The article was not intended to convince an Italian to use wall-to-wall carpet in each room of their flat-- not even I want that for my home-- but to open the Italian mentality a bit, keeping in mind another option for floor covering.  As a designer, the visual impact is essential when working with a client.  In the case of the article the readers are the client, and unfortunately, the visual, a series of photos prepared along with the article, were not shown online. Maybe this visual tool could have assisted the words... and opened a few more minds.

Herein the "photo gallery":   

 

 

Raw Edges for Stella

To know the work of Stella McCartney is to know that she is green to the core-- it is part of her DNA.  As a devout vegetarian, no leather or fur is used in her products, yet she maintains exquisite styling nevertheless.  With her green attitude, it is no wonder that her latest store opening in Rome (Via Borgognona, 6) was realized using environmentally sustainable materials, most notable being the floor.  The masterpiece, created by Yael Mer ad Shay Alkalay, two young Israeli-cum-British designers, best known as Raw Edges, is a modern play on the herringbone pattern using oak wood planks taken from a forest certified FSC (from the Forest Stewardship Council).  Raw Edges is motivated by turning two-dimensional sheet materials into pneumatic functional forms, while learning how things move, function and react, as evident in the varying monochromatic colors-- from plum to pale pink-- installed for Stella. 

Forest Stewardship Council 

Raw Edges 

Stella McCartney 

 

Orange = Arancione

It is such an inspiring month color wise... Such a vibrant spectrum of warm hues is aglow all around the city (more so in Atlanta than in Rome, but both duly lovely).  Yet, most of all, the color orange is the unequivocal leader of autumn colors and il mio preferito!  

 

Lonny Mag Work Space/ Dining Area Inspiration Shot 

Bamboozle rayon & ramie drapery by Jim Thompson

Mandarin Oriental Paris New Bar/ Restaurant design by Patrick Jouin

Roland Bello apartment design

Balenciaga, Spring 2012 RTW

Seagram's Midtown NY landmark building, inside EnTrust Capital offices, custom back-painted glass tabletop

Wonderland: 3300 Circus, Jacquard fabric by Jim Thompson

Vintage Venetian glass chandelier, stark white interior with accents of arancione

The Rug Company's Butterfly Orange by Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby Tibetan Wool, 100 knot

Christian Leone's Sutton Place apartment (from Lonny Mag)

Matthew Williamson, Spring 2012 RTW

Mango Bark Bowl from Upriver Home

Maple Leaf Rose Bouquet by Kate Hust

L'Arte di Arredare

For the Italians, Settembre is the start of a new year... And it has been a month of new, budding ideas in more respects than just "back to school."  In the past 26 days, a frenzy of design fairs has transpired-- from the Cersaie International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings (Bologna) to the Kartell Muesum opening (Milan) to Made In Italy & National Identity presented by Compasso D'Oro at the MACRO (Rome)-- All fantastic fairs (and cities) in their own right.  

And yet, I must pause and spotlight one in particular: L'Arte di Arredare (12th Edition) in Piacenza, a city that is very sentimental to me, as it's the birthplace of my husband as well as the location of our intimate wedding.  Diverse from the other fairs around the country, this one-- small regarding the the selection of items contained within-- is, however, quite majestic in the way the furnishings have been displayed.  You see, the backdrop for "L'Arte" is the Basilica di Sant'Agostino, built by Bernardino Pannizzario "il Caramosino," in the ten years spanning 1569-1579.  This marble palette creates a harmonious juxtaposition for modern materials, which included soft bedroom suites by Flou (in particular the upholstered closet doors), Giorgetti's curvacious Ellis and Arabella lounge chairs, Valcucine's new super luxe version of their Logica System kitchen (that prompted my husband to utter continuously, "che figo")... As well as local fares such as, a wonderful stacked wood table lamp from Design Relax (1 Via Veneto, Piacenza).

The 'art of furnishing' has never looked so good.  

FLOU

Valcucine

Giorgetti

The Raphael Gallery

And so the experience of actually lounging around the V&A museum in London has finally been realized to really reflect on Raffaello Santi's seven 'cartoons' or in Italian, cartone... And it's been done so in an array of blues, greens and multiple morphings of the two cool tones by Kvadrat and their Hallingdal fabric.  Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec are the creative masterminds behind the 'Kvdrat Textile Field' installation which has been applied as part of the The London Design Festival (September 17 - 25).  As the young, French designers explain, "Our intention is to propose a different, casual approach to freely experience what can be a quite intimidating environment, such as a museum. We conceived an expansive, coloured foam and textile piece with gentle inclinations to produce a sensual field on which to comfortably lounge while meditating on the surrounding Raphael Cartoons. Everyone can immerse into this temporary installation, for a minute, an hour or more, that is the idea. No efforts, no apprehension just contemplation."

Kvadrat Textile Field

London Design Festival

Home Town Icon

As we approach the end of the summer, I still have some images of my last trip home (Marietta, GA) that are just lingering.  Even after five years living in Italy, a trip home still awakens those endearing, yet unrelenting, home sick feelings.  One of my last days before heading back to Rome, I visited a part of town that I haven't seen in over 10 years.  Arriving to the destination requires passing an icon of sorts.  Well, quite frankly, it is an icon, the icon of Marietta: The Big Chicken!  And I must admit that it was a sight for sore eyes; the 56 feet of steel have never looked better. 

In the summer of 1999 I wrote a spread on Marietta Square in the lifestyles magazine, Atlanta Citymag, noting the theaters, children's, vintage and antiques shops, along with the good eats, some of which I found again that Friday morning--  And others, such as Sugar Cakes, where I met my friend, Elizabeth Cossick (publishing editor of Little Black / Dress Little Red Wagon), for a perfect cup of coffee and a delicious fruit parfait.  BTW: Elizabeth profiled me in her magazine's summer "adventure" issue.  Mille grazie, E.!  

Yet, despite the passing of 10 plus years, the feeling of the square was still familiar--  A street view composed of southern architecture, colorfully painted clothing shops, bakeries and cafes along side an art deco style theater (The Strand).  And the park, green grass gleaming beneath the high noon sun, with the large water fountain freestanding as center piece, can't help but remind me of a line from that Citymag article: "[The] square still has the perfect balance of new additions and traditional Southern pride in the air."   

BV + PF = META

In a word: timeless.  And in a few words: drop dead gorgeous.  

I have always looked at Bottega Veneta as one of the most beautifully crafted Italian fashion houses in the world, and so it is of no surprise that their sojourn into the world of furniture has been done with such elegance.  Partnering with Poltrona Frau only solidified the fact that the META line of seating is in a class of its own (I've melted into one of Frau's leather chairs on more than one occasion).  Frau knows leather like no other-- even upholstering the interiors of Ferrari and Maserati, not to mention the Palau Reina Sofia in Valencia.  And so, META, designed by Bottega Veneta Creative Director Tomas Maier, began with an armchair in 2008, but has since added to the collection, which emits soft, clean curves, perfect proportions and unprecedented details-- the wood legs are upholstered in leather and even the underside of the chair is leather upholstered with a discreet embossing of the two brand names.  

In Italian metà means half-- and together these two Italian companies have simply made a masterpiece.

For more information about Bottega Veneta. 

For more information about Poltrona Frau.