Whether minimalist or maximalist – or somewhere in between – many of our homes are filled with objects we love. It is these items of decoration that reveal just that much more about who we are, what we like and where we’ve been in the world.
A work of art
With offices taking on different shapes and spaces, Maison Matisse’s (main image) first accessories collection for the workspace is functional, versatile and expressive, reinterpreting Henri Matisse’s 1950s painting ‘Les Milles et Une Nuits’ into three-dimensional objects. The collection of the same name is designed by Guillaume Delvigne and debuted during Maison & Objet in Paris last month. “It was really important for me that the results were not rigid, because that would not have been in the spirit of Matisse; [I] wanted to instead create movement and make the collection dynamic,” the French designer says. Borrowing from the essence of the artist’s painting, specifically its scissor-cut shapes and bold colours, the collection features blocks of sliced cork that are made into stools, trays, shelves and other playful objects.
Organic objects
Nilufar Gallery, founded by Nina Yashar, has long been known for sourcing and showcasing special pieces of art and design that are both functional and decorative. Its latest presentation sees the whimsical works of artist Lola Montes Schnabel, whose candleholders made from clay form her Le Castraure collection. The objects follow the steps of a traditional Sicilian craft which Schnabel learnt from a master clay artisan during the pandemic. The candleholders take the abstract form of an artichoke, whose cultivation Schnabel found to be poetic. The artichoke, for the artist, displays a certain type of dichotomy: a sweet core with a sharp outer shell, becoming a metaphor for love which Schnabel aims to depict in these vibrant and organic pieces.
Natural connection
Since carving its path for interior textiles, Italian brand Lanerossi has collaborated with acclaimed names in design, art and photography to reinterpret its visual heritage. So, it is of no surprise that for its latest collaboration, the brand tapped Italian celebrity duo Ludovica+Roberta Palomba of Palomba Serafini. The new capsule collection, called Radici, features a series of blankets weaving together a story of technique, craftsmanship and chromatic contrasts that depict trees as the archetypal symbols of force and growth. Available in five colours, from beige to gold and orange, the Radici blankets are made from 100% virgin wool obtained from selected flocks of Merino sheep, woven with the jacquard technique for a contrasting effect on the back, and enhanced by fringes along the borders.
Grand gestures
Mumbai-born founder and creative director of The Itihāas Company, Devika Kanadé started her brand with the intention of creating a boutique maximalist home and lifestyle concept that combines history with interior design, allowing stories to be retold and objects to be reinvented, to bring pieces from the past into people’s homes. Her latest collection, Colour Me Constantinople, is inspired by the Byzantine era, evoking its architecture, ornamentation and grandeur. The collection of cushions and throws is immersed in luxuriously vibrant and rich tones and prints, with each piece having a different meaning – and story – of its own.
A magic formula
Beginning their chanced collaboration in 2003 – and birthing Corsi Design in the process – famed Italian designer and architect Gaetano Pesce and artisan Andrea Corsi began perfecting Pesce’s resin Fish Design range. After years of experiments, trails and errors, and new discoveries, the bold collection is now part of a staple series of products marked by the trusted ‘Made in Italy’ stamp. The vases, mirrors and trays from the range feature several techniques and a variety of resins – each one specific to the piece or collection. The use of moulds, coloured pigments, spatula strokes, mixtures, pouring and extrusions represents a culmination of the purest gestures, using resin as if it were clay.
Tactile nature
Loro Piana’s 2023 collection – which was first showcased at Paris Deco Off – focuses on the natural qualities of fibres, with the wallcoverings, fabrics, blankets and accessories in the collection all directly inspired by nature’s creations. Raffia and jute add a textural personality to the wallcoverings, while wool offers an enveloping warmth. Other fabrics include silk, mohair and cashmere – all enhancing the colours of the collection while also ensuring a sense of softness and playing with light, patterns and weaves. Many of the designs have a geometric theme, be it diamonds or stripes, further characterising the Japanese igusa rush, which is central to the collection.
