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Number 01

At Carlo Dal Bianco’s home The Italian sign

we like Furnish with irony Transparent house Artemis’s Bontà: when a chef and a designer meet #GoGreen When eco-sustainability is served at the table Beyond the design Energy never lost

Editorial

“Design equals love” I have used the words of the indelible and wonderful A.G. Fronzoni to trace a mark worthy of beauty, starting with the year we have just had, a year that has changed the world like few others in the last century. For many it has been an opportunity to rediscover unfamiliar energies and inner realities that have remained silent. Restrictions and limitations have given wings to creativity and awareness by expanding the inner boundaries. For us at LoveTheSign, the word love has been summarized into two extensions: designing and making. We have completely renewed Lara Vidotto Art Director

our site and redesigned our message. We have opened a “passage into the ether”, opening a real shop in the center of Padua, in addition to the two new openings in Riccione and Pietrasanta. A creative vortex has motivated us to get even closer to our readers by renewing the LoveTheSign magazine Piano Primo. Now we have a completely renewed and browsable monthly magazine with a mix of contents that revolve around two words: love and design. We will highlight the virtuous collaborations between our platform and the brands, broadening our gaze, creating culture, and trying to satisfy the curiosities that lead to understanding objects and their qualities. Because the design before a product always generates a thought and this is what we want to discover and relay to our reader. Welcome.

LOVE THE S IGN MAGAZINE

Index

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We like

Furnish with irony by Lara Vidotto

#GoGreen

When eco-sustainability is served at the table 14 by Emanuela Perozzi

Icons tell a story

Artemis’s Bontà by Lara Vidotto

31 Comfort zone

Anti-stress home by Emanuela Perozzi

Index

Worth Mentioning

Transparent house

by Emanuela Perozzi

Cover Story

At Carlo Dal Bianco’s home by Lara Vidotto

by Giulia Tomba

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Beyond the design by Maria Chiara Bocciolini

Fashion

Energy never lost by Alessandra Luporini

Kids

The Room of Wonders by Giorgia Messa

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Throughout the course of history and in various cultures, red has been the color of the clothing of kings, nobles and religious people.

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Geisha by Matteo Pala, design by Carlo Dal Bianco. Hand-knotted New Zealand wool rug. Available with contoured or rectangular shape. Color variations in shades of brown-red, blue-light blue, grey-green.

Luxury rugs

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Furnish with irony Bringing fun into your home with an out-of-the-box design

Tavolino The Duck by Bonaldo

Turtle Carry DI QEEBOO

Do you know the saying that the world rests on the backs of turtles? With the same allure, the original, zoomorphic and multipurpose Turtle Carry bookcase by Qeeboo is perfect for always keeping your books on hand. You immediately glimpse a note of sophisticated irony in your home, right?

Binarell BY KARMANN

Irony is one of the human qualities we love most. In an instant, it brings about a brilliant smile and destroys banality.

We like

We Like Lampada The Monkey Swing DI SELETTI

Frizz

Marcantonio is a designer, but he is also a sculptor and an artist, with a funny and poetic perspective that surprises and wins you over. With his objects, he turns the tables on the scene. “Swing Monkey Lamp,” produced by Seletti, is one of his monkey sculptures. Hang it up, look up and smile.

DI SLIDE

Oops, I thought I saw a bottle cap! Bubbly like fizzy drinks: it’s ingenious and simple. This object definitely puts you in a good mood.

Flowers armchair DI SELETTI WEARS TOILETPAPER

Kong lamp DI QEEBOO

KONG is a lamp that stages the mystery, like a detective points his flashlight at your discretion, triggering a fantastic narrative.

An armchair with black humor: a jubilant appearance of colorful flowers...but full of holes. No wonder: behind this project there is Maurizio Cattelan, the most quoted Italian living artist on the market, who, together with Pierpaolo Ferrari, founded an image-only magazine called Toiletpaper. These great minds designed the Flower armchair. Sometimes words are useless.

Puppy DI MAGIS

Synthesis is a fundamental trait of irony. Designed by the Finnish Eero Aarnio for Magis, Puppy is a tenacious and functional object far from obvious. But it is also a sculpture, a toy and a small stool. All you need is your imagination!

GO GRE EN

#GoGreen

The Eco-friendly line by Bitossi Home: when eco-sustainability is served at the table by Emanuela Perozzi

Bitossi Home has united two Made in Italy excellences: good food and design. To the timeless materials for the mise en place—ceramic, glass, and wood— the Tuscan brand wanted to add an eco-friendly collection to bring a mix of good humor and sustainable design to the table.

They are kitchen accessories that make green-addicts and all those who care about the planet happy: plates, bowls, cutlery, glasses, and containers that combine the exclusive use of ecofriendly and biodegradable materials with the strong stylistic accent of the vitamin-based color variations.

Eco-friendly containers We are used to seeing them in materials such as plastic or glass. Yet even food containers can follow the mood of environmental sustainability. Bitossi Home took the matter into their own hands: its containers are made of a resistant bioplastic that is not afraid of either high or low temperatures. And the design? Modern, square, and chromatically captivating!

#GoGreen

Only organic dishes at the table

Green-inspired combinations

Enhance your table while fully respecting the environment with the dishes from the Eco-friendly line by Bitossi Home, made of wheat starch. This compostable and reusable material boasts the same characteristics of durability, strength, and versatility as plastic. The plates, bowls, and dessert plates, with a round or square design, are available in 3 colors: orange, turquoise, and fuchsia.

You can add table and salad cutlery to your dishes, which are made of bioplastic and are completely non-toxic. Choose the color combination that excites you the most and complete your eco-chic table setting.

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Biodegradable serie Biodegradable was born from the happy combination of bamboo fiber and vegetable resins, this serie completes the Ecofriendly products in wheat starch. If bamboo provides a compostable and biodegradable fiber, the association with plant resins makes the material resistant and innovative, elastic and long-lasting. The line includes flat plates with a diameter of 30 cm, available in 4 color variations (white, purple, brown, blue), glasses, bowls for cereals, round or rectangular trays, colanders and cutlery trays.

The eco-friendly can that mimics plastic It looks like plastic but isn’t! Ironically, the writing on the can also emphasizes this: I’m not plastic. In fact, it’s not: the Ecofriendly Can is made of wheat starch and is free of toxic and polluting substances. Available in 2 sizes (280ml and 420ml) and 4 super energizing shades, the innovative Bitossi Home can is as resistant as plastic but reusable and completely eco-friendly.

Comfort zone

Anti-stress home Ideas and inspirations to create your comfort zone by Emanuela Perozzi

Current events require us to spend more time inside and use domestic environments in a multifunctional way. The boundary between your space for free time and your workspace is no longer as clear as it used to be: areas interact with each other, and creative concepts are increasingly oriented towards dynamism and

Egg indoor armchair with cushion by Sika

interchangeability. Our homes have ceased to be solely dedicated to rest and family life. Now they now focus on the synthesis of society’s evolution. In this sense, even the furnishings have “learned” to adapt to changes and move with ease from one scenario to another.

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Rituals lamp by Foscarini

Create your own comfort zone at home

Creating a comfort zone at home has become essential to regain possession of the dimension of intimacy and relaxation that has been “stolen” from us by the new needs of coexistence between our home and work life. There is no single idea of a comfort zone. Some imagine it as a space devoted to their passions, others see it

with a hot bath and a scented candle, and some associate it with a comfortable chaise longue where they can indulge in reading a good book. What matters is that it is your own place, a sort of “happy island” where you can take refuge for a real break from your working environment.

Comfort zone

How to design a stress-free (and work free!) space in the living room

Our homes have taken on the guise of one large habitat with days full of business meetings, conference calls and virtual school lessons, set against the backdrop of a completely new (and increasingly central) concept of “sociality at a distance.” To find balance, the desire to get back our intimate sphere and regain possession of a space where we can simply be ourselves and dedicate ourselves to the activities that make us happy has come bubbling up. A dedicated room isn’t necessary, but a corner of privacy where we can isolate ourselves from work commitments and recharge our batteries with energy and positivity would even work. How about designing an off-limits area in the living room dedicated to reading, watching your favourite series or simply “dolce far niente”? Imagine an enveloping armchair, a soft throw on your legs, a coffee table, a soft light and a steaming cup of coffee. Not bad, right? Here are some ideas for you!

Nemesi Light BY BONALDO

Nemesi Light is the ideal solution for those who need to optimize space by combining two functions in a single piece of furniture: the Bonaldo coffee table, integrated with a LED light, creates a suggestive atmosphere for reading and moments of pure relaxation.

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Tea Time BY SLIDE

Tea Time by Slide uses the shape of a biscuit to reinterpret the classic concept of the coffee table in an ironic way. Instead of the feet, 4 wheels seal the functionality of a mobile and versatile support surface. Tea Time, an absolute delight, transforms the space of the living room and multiplies the comfort of your small oasis of well-being.

Closer BY MOGG

For a surplus of relaxation, you can rely on the generous shapes of the enveloping cushion of the Closer armchair by Mogg: a feather-down cushion with a removable velvet cover and a matte black iron structure.

A happy island where to nestle

Botera BY MINIFORMS

The Botera armchair by Miniforms, 100% Made in Italy, is designed around the very concept of comfort: four types of foam rubber for the padding, a plump cushion from which the backrest expands (high or low), and a simple and contemporary design that

literally blends with the other furnishings. Botera catches your eye but at the same time blends in with the surrounding environment, fitting discreetly into any point of the living room: the ideal solution for a transformable and modular comfort zone.

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Plaid Papa BY NORMANN COPENHAGEN

The Papa plaid by Normann Copenhagen combines the artisan soul of tight knitting with versatile color combinations that are never predictable. Made with a combination of sustainable merino wool and lamb’s wool, the collection includes 4 stylistic versions that outline the traditional

two-tone Scottish fabric and two oversized patterns (checked and framed). Keep an eye on it: in addition to pampering you during afternoon naps or cold winter evenings, this soft 100% New Zealand wool throw will be able to enhance the look of your own antistress corner with class and refinement.

Krossing BY KRIPTONITE

Is also perfect for the reading area. Thanks to the self-supporting and rotating structure (the base includes a metal ring that rotates), this ingenious tablebookcase made up of tubes, shelves and dividers, perfectly embodies the multitasking soul of modern furnishings: it is simultaneously a rotating tabletop and large floor bookcase.

Icons tell a story

Artemis’s Bontà by Lara Vidotto

When a chef and a designer meet: light is served… at the table!

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Davide Oldani, creator of pop cuisine. The most authoritative gastronomic guides count him among the great chefs of Italian cuisine.

Icons tell a story

Artemis’s Bontà is a pleasurable union between what satisfies both sight and the palate, creating a connection between light and food, but with no strings attached. Attila Veress was born in Transylvania and raised in the United Arab Emirates. He graduated in Industrial Design in Milan and is a prodigy. At a very young age, he started collaborating with important Italian and international brands and companies. The Michelin-starred Chef Davide Oldani is an innovator, the soul of Cucina Pop. In his restaurant “D’O” you can enjoy delicacies at great prices. He is undoubtedly an ambassador of the art of Italian cuisine’ art throughout the world. Among other things, he studied and worked in the kitchen of the illustrious Gualtiero Marchesi. Artemide, a company of “human and responsible light,” promoter of craftsmanship and ancient knowledge, as a skilled Cupid, came up with the idea. As a result, Bontà was produced with a combination of knowledge, skill, and vision.

Bontà BY ARTEMIDE

It is a table lamp composed of two elements: a blown glass bowl on top of an opal glass base, entirely handmade by Venetian artisans. The bowl is available in two sizes, a taller or a wider one, which can be alternated according to the food you are serving. The lower luminous body diffuses a warm and enveloping light that generates a mellow atmosphere at the table.

Cover Story

At Carlo Dal Bianco’s home by Lara Vidotto

Carlo Dal Bianco Photo: Andrea Lomazzi

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The Italian sign Exactly twenty years have passed since Carlo Dal Bianco had the opportunity to reinvent the use of mosaics. A virtuous collaboration with Bisazza, still extraordinary and stimulating, was created with the proposal to transform mosaics into a sort of continuous wallpaper. This idea has opened up a range of surprising possibilities to many players in the decor sector, for which it received two important awards at the Elle Deco

International Design Awards. From there the development of many other products such as the decorative panels dedicated to Antonio Canova, the Bisazza Foundation project of the company headquarters, and gradually up to fifteen showrooms scattered throughout the most beautiful cities. But what is the home like for a lover of culture, softness, and happiness who has a privileged relationship with color?

Casa Alessandra Architecture and Interior Design Project in Vicenza. In the photo: terrace in direct connection with the living room thanks to the large sliding windows. Photo: Ottavio Tomasini

Casa Alessandra Architecture and interior design project in Vicenza. In the photo: dining area with a collection of 20thcentury Venetian paintings, a plaster bust of Antonio Canova’s self-portrait, a Saarinen table by Eero

Saarinen for Knoll, 3107 lacquered chairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, Artichoke chandelier by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen, and a Fornasetti plate. Photo: Ottavio Tomasini

He designed his house both for family life and to house an art collection. Spaces have been created for sharing and, at the same time, to be experienced individually. Each area of the house is assigned a different color: the red entrance transmits energy and hospitality, the black library invites you to concentrate and read, while the green master bedroom encourages quietness and rest. The walls’ intense colors have been selected to enhance the shades of the Venetian 20th century paintings and the collection

Casa Alessandra Architecture and interior design project in Vicenza. In the photo: entrance to the house with a Biedermeier sofa, a plaster bust taken from the Venus

Italica by Antonio Canova, and a prototype of the Bonaparte digital mosaic panel designed for Bisazza Home. Photo: Ottavio Tomasini

of sculptures, bas-reliefs, and vintage or contemporary design objects. At the same time, in contrast to the walls’ intense colors and the wenge flooring, the use of white is preferred for the designed doors, moldings, and furnishings. We have taken the opportunity to discover some aspects of his character, secondary interests, and the unknown roads that led him to achieve many goals.

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Casa Alessandra Architecture and interior design project in Vicenza. In the photo: living room with a custom fireplace, 1950s velvet sofas, a Saarinen coffee table by Eero Saarinen for Knoll, Marie Antoinette chandelier and Madeleine table lamp designed for Bisazza Home. Photo: Ottavio Tomasini

Cover Story

Architect Dal Bianco, what are three words that define your work?

A painter and sculptor, a bookseller and publisher, an art dealer and art historian.

Precision, beauty, and dedication. Which truly challenging project would you Describe an interesting house.

like to tackle?

Recently, I came upon an important rationalist house, a building that I would have liked to work on so much. Large spaces, very rigorous lines, elegant materials, symmetrical arrangements, strings of doors, its monumental nature, high ceilings with internal views, terraces on various levels, an unexpected swimming

My dream project is a new museum dedicated to twentieth-century art. Or a large hotel.

pool on the roof, the presence of thirties stucco and decoration, and large arched windows. It was a very elegant house that has preserved the atmosphere of everyday life, with the library, the large Verde Alpi fireplace, the wardrobes, and the adjacent rooms for the attendants. Very, very interesting. But then the client chose saving money over quality. Too bad.

I have two libraries. One is in my studio, where I keep books on architecture, design, photography, decoration, fashion, and interior design. Then, when I am at home, I love to relax by reading or browsing the books in my second library which is next to my bedroom. Texts about painting, sculpture, and art that mainly address the culture of the twentieth century, and in particular the Venetian circle, the Venice Biennale, and the school of Ca’ Pesaro and Burano.

The most important thing you’ve learned

What books do you have on your nightstand?

In rotation, usually, almost every evening I place a different book on my bedside table.

about architecture.

The architectural hierarchy between the parts of a building, precision, symmetry, and monumentality. The most useless thing you’ve learned about architecture.

To not use decoration and color, a sad concept of contemporaneity just for the sake of it. If you hadn’t been an architect, what other job would you have liked to do?

What do you daydream about?

I have always daydreamed about creating a collection of 20th century paintings. For the future, it is to be able to develop my research starting with Gino Rossi and Arturo Martini and Pio Semeghini and Virgilio Guidi. These painters have indirectly stimulated me and accompanied me in a different interpretation of Venice and its islands, cities that I love deeply. How I deeply love my wife Alessandra, my four children and my home.

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Studio Carlo Dal Bianco Interior design project in Vicenza. In the photo: chest of drawers with objects, prototypes, paintings, and collectible photographs. Stools by Alvar Aalto for Artek and Panton Chairs by Verner Panton. Photo: Ottavio Tomasini

What play of light and shadows do you like to play with?

Light and shadows: this question could lend itself to various interpretations. In my work, for example, Michelangelo Buonarroti’s sculpture and Antonio Canova’s work stimulate me a lot. The former is nervous, tense, vibrant, and contrasting both in the sculpture and architecture: made up of opposing planes that create light and shadows. At the same time, I love Canova from an emotional point of view for his light, velvety, soft, and noble surfaces. This is also my way of seeing architecture and the study of my interiors. I look for

the vibration of light for contrasts, the chiaroscuro, which is the driving force of everything, in the facades and also in the arrangement of the spaces. The light, sun, and shadows bring the space and all the surfaces to life. The great Canova, on the other hand, relaxes me. He helps me enter into contemplation, also taking me back to the years of my youth, when my mother Ester accompanied me to the Gipsoteca di Possagno. That’s why I look for emotion in my interiors! It is the turning point in the most baroque sense of the term. I am looking for light, but also penumbra or shadows.

Cover Story

Casa Elisabetta Architecture and interior design project in Vicenza. In the photo: custom fireplace and bookcase. 3 by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen. Photo: Francesco Cecchini

I use a few well-calibrated light sources placed on the ground or on furniture. I love to highlight a painting, sculpture, door, or greenhouse from time to time.

from a painting, from the landscape that surrounds the house I am creating. Colors are the life of the project. Five places in the world that most

What power do colors have, and what

represent you.

rules do you use to create your palette?

First and foremost, Venice in its most unusual and hidden places, far from the inhumanity of the average tourist. And then the Metropolitan Museum in New York, especially in the areas overlooking Central Park... The John Soane Museum in London where you can get lost in the extraordinary home of a crazy collector architect. Villa Necchi Campiglio in Milan by

In my works, I always use them, so much so that imagining a white environment often almost communicates a project’s incompleteness. I absolutely love the purity of white, when it is designed, when it is a choice, perhaps when everything is clear and bright. The combination of colors comes from a thousand things: speaking with the client, from their way of being,

Bisazza Flagship Store Interior design and installation project in Via Solferino 22 in Milan. Each room has a different color inspired by the painting “Rissa in Galleria” by Umberto Boccioni, which was chosen together with the marble of the tables and the textiles of the furnishings. Tulip table and chairs by Eero Saarinen for Knoll. Pensee and Bouquet mosaic decorations designed for Bisazza. Columns in 24 kt yellow gold mosaic, Bisazza Wood “Moka” herringbone wood floor and Barrisol mirror ceiling panels. Photo: Fabio Bascetta

Cover Story

Portaluppi with an extraordinary collection of paintings divinely installed by the late Claudia Gian Ferrari. The Galignani Library in Paris, perhaps after visiting a part of the Grande Louvre, a healthy infusion of energy, happiness, and emotion. Your first memory linked to drawing

In nursery school, with the Poverelle nuns. Kneeling on the bed and leaning on the windowsill, I drew mountains with crosses and animals. I used crayons, a thread of light shone through the blue curtains, while in the background, my companions took an afternoon nap. If you had to sum up your beginnings in one word, what would it be?

Inadequacy. What relationship do you have with uncertainty, chance, and the unexpected?

I would distinguish the three words well. Uncertainty is a word that has always been a part of me: for not being able to make it, for the fear of making mistakes, for the fear of not living up to the situation. And this is true for training and education. Chance, on the other hand, sees me as the winner. I feel kissed by luck, favored by fate, protected by my guardian angel, and led towards a bright and fortunate path where chance, in fact, always opens me up to new challenges and new perspectives. Even in the unexpected I can see the positive side of things, because I

recognize that in new situations I know how to challenge myself, often finding a good solution. All this is true in the work and management of the unknowns of a project or a construction site. Often this stimulates and amuses me, perhaps out of masochism. But then, in my private life, the unexpected can create a lot of anxiety and tension. How have you considered the planet in your planning?

I am a good citizen, who follows every decree in respect of the environment with detail and precision: recycling, attention to wastefulness, real respect for the environment we live in, and love for greenery and nature. But in my planning, I often forget the right approach, for example, in the creation of a design object. I don’t think about it, it doesn’t come spontaneously. Shape, beauty, and the charge of color are becoming more and more important, more than sustainability, recycling, and self-production. I have to make an effort and concentrate. Indeed, my new challenge will be to think about this mental path, which is very right, proper, and current. It can no longer be ignored. I admire those who try their hand at these ways of doing things. My problem is that every time I see bare objects, reduced to their essence and minimal language, sometimes simplistic. I am trying to address the issue, seeking the right balance between decoration and my research of

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forms, with a sustainable mental process. But then I console myself because, thinking about it, I also designed a geothermal house with a very low environmental impact. But I haven’t advertised it much...

Studio Legale Giulia Bongiorno Interior design project in Milan. Saarinen table by Eero Saarinen for Knoll, Swan armchairs by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen, AJ table lamp by Arne Jacobsen for Louis Poulsen, Costanza floor lamps by Paolo Rizzatto for Luceplan. Photo: Ottavio Tomasini

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WORTH MENTIONING by Emanuela Perozzi

Worth Mentioning is the cork bulletin board that collects all of your reminders, drafts and scattered notes, but it is also the magic box full of design icons, unconventional furnishings, simple but determined objects, hybrid inspirations, and ideas that you can always keep an eye on, ready to be used at the right moment.

Worth Mentioning

Ottocento table

Giravolta 1799 lamp

BY SLIDE

BY PEDRALI

Crystalline class for the Ottocento table designed by Paola Navone for Slide. Its curved and elegant shape reminds us of the furnishings of the Neoclassical sitting rooms of the early nineteenth century, but the thin base (square or round) and the marble-effect finishes make it a timeless design, perfect in any era and any environment. The small “artfully studied” imperfections only confirm the added value of the union between industry and handcrafted intrigue. Made of highpressure laminated polyethylene, Ottocento is available in two colors, one more chic than the other: granite and wenge.

Forget right angles, symmetrical planes and marked lines: Giravolta 1799, the iconic table lamp by Pedrali, seems to take a more pleasant, feminine and softer turn. The continuous and uninterrupted design does not allow for angularity. It is a simple yet ingenious structure that, together with the beam of light, also infuses grace and harmony. The arch, slender and threadlike, holds two plastic discs together, in which one acts as a base and the other as a diffuser that rotates 360 degrees and offers sweeping views. It’s almost an invitation to observe the world from multiple points of view. The wireless lamp, designed by Alberto Basaglia and Natalia Rota Nodari, is equipped with LED technology, a lithium battery, and a micro USB socket for charging.

Lady B Armchair BY SCAB DESIGN

Ergonomic shape, clean lines and tapered legs for the Lady B Go Green set of outdoor armchairs by Scab Design. The enveloping armrests and the rounded backrest give the armchair a surplus of comfort, while the overall vision recalls the shape of a reassuring cocoon, a nest where you can find shelter and comfort. Green and sustainable materials endorse the idea of fusion with the organic world: Lady B is made of 60% certified recycled plastic, obtained thanks to energy from renewable sources. The three chromatic shades are also simple and sensorial: dove gray, olive green, and anthracite.

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Designer vase Quincoces Drago BY BITOSSI CERAMICHE

“Making the designer piece unique”: this is the basic idea of the Quincoces Drago creation, an entirely handmade vase-column that reinterprets the classic totem configuration in a contemporary key. Two creators: Bitossi Ceramiche, a historic brand of 100% Made in Italy artistic ceramics, and the eclectic genius of the designer duo — David Lopez Quincoces and Fanny Bauer Grung — who specialize in luxury retail. For shapes, shades and overlaps, Quincoces Drago recalls the postmodern design of Ettore Sottsass and Nathalie du Pasquier: developed vertically, alternating and staggering cylinders of different shapes, sizes and textures, the composition follows a dynamic trend and dialogues with its surroundings, creating evocative games of proportions. The color combinations turn to contrasting but delicate palettes: black/terracotta, white crazed/ terracotta, ocher/green/black.

In Vitro Unplugged BY FLOS

Philippe Starck’s genius has given us the In Vitro blown glass lantern, produced and distributed by Flos. When describing his collection of outdoor lighting, the French designer evokes transparency so impalpable that it becomes absent: “The lightbulb has always been protected by a glass globe. Today, this disappears in favour of the light”. Poetic, light and harmonious, the In Vitro lamp dematerializes architecture and, in its place, leaves only the memory of the space occupied by light. The design’s abstraction is supported by Edge lighting technology, capable of hiding the point-like LED sources and uniformly spreading the light from the opal diffuser. The result is a soft and suffused light, without contrasts, that illuminates without setting boundaries. The lantern is available in three versions: the classic wall and suspension version and the Bollard version, reminiscent of a nostalgic and elegant hourglass.

Worth Mentioning

Barbecue Cube BY HÖFATS

Who says that a design object cannot also be functional? Indeed, multifunctional! Cube by Höfats is a case in point: officially, it is a barbecue, but it actually embodies 3 objects in one. Thanks to its low weight and compact dimensions, the stainless steel cubebarbecue, whose geometric rigor is softened by the rounded edges, manages to change its appearance with surprising simplicity: in an instant, it reinvents itself as a coffee table and comfortable stool. The multifaceted character and inventiveness of their designs have earned the German brand several international awards, including the Design Plus Award 2016, the Red Dot Design Award 2016 and the German Design Award 2017.

SuperArchimoon lamp BY FLOS

Folio reclining armchair BY NARDI GARDEN

Folio is an invitation to enjoy life, chase away bad thoughts and be lulled by the warmth of the spring air. Perforated with a decorative square pattern and matte finish, the outdoor armchair by Nardi Garden combines the nostalgic rocking chair design with the functionality of details designed to increase comfort—the two-position reclining mechanism and non-slip feet—and the innovation of a structure made of anti-UV treated and mass-colored fiberglass resin.

An outside-of-the-box design that is guided by pure intuition, with personality to spare: we are talking about SuperArchimoon by Flos, a floor lamp with a contemporary mood that gives the outdoors an unparalleled intrigue of luminous grandeur. The design’s transmutability lives in the alternation of the materials used—colored PVC for the tubular structure of the external diffuser, phospho-chromatized aluminum for the frame, and opal polycarbonate for the internal diffuser—and in the ability to create a scenographic impact by combining a solid and imposing structure with a flexible fixture, that suggests lightness and a spirit of adaptation.

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Solar outdoor lamp BY FOSCARINI

Flying saucer, parabola, half-moon: the round and oscillating shape of Solar outdoor teases many and surprising mental associations. With a design halfway between futuristic inspirations and a vintage-retro spirit, Foscarini’s outdoor lamp is not simple. Instead, it is a focal point that illuminates the outdoors, warms the atmosphere, causes people to take a second look and marks the time spent outdoors. Made of a mix of materials—plastic, stoneware, and metal—and tiltable up to 15°, Solar is the perfect example of a transversal and interchangeable living concept: the terrace becomes an extension and enhancement of the living area.

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BEYOND THE DESIGN by Maria Chiara Bocciolini

Beyond the design

“Color! What a profound and mysterious language, the language of dreams.” Paul Gauguin

If someone asked me today what I think is beyond the design of objects and furnishings, I would undoubtedly answer as Gauguin did in his time because I am truly convinced that color is an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Reflecting on this theme, Ettore Sottsass jr. comes to mind. For Sottsass, color is one of the primary sources of inspiration, and it would not be wrong to say that his chromatic sensitivity has changed the way we think about industrial design. Materials, technique and color: these elements necessarily passed through the narrative path which, for Sottsass, led to the definition of objects generated by visionary poetics. It was necessary to look at them with ‘different’ eyes and therefore strike a chord. And we have learned how to do that. Today, design in a broad sense is

so intertwined with our lives that sometimes we don’t even realize how much. However, it keeps its roots firm by sinking them in the fertile soil of creativity and beauty. We are talking extensively about color design, and the perceptual design of color is becoming increasingly important. Colors help us live better. The choice of color even concerning the design of upholstered furniture such as sofas, chairs, armchairs and poufs is an integral part of the design process. Even the most essential and minimal shape changes its appearance when we cover it with a precious texture, a geometric pattern with sparkling colors, or a delicate floral variant. So let’s go on this adventure, as curious observers, and take a journey between art, design, textures, and colors: allow yourself to be surprised!

Want to regenerate? Then choose the Blue! In Japan, at the Hitachi Seaside Park, we can admire the exceptional blooming of the blue Nemophila every spring. You can enjoy this authentic seacolored expanse from the Miharashi No Oka hill and—coincidentally—the Pacific Ocean. It doesn’t get bluer than this. In fashion and design, the color blue almost always represents the choice of safety, calm, and professionalism, but this does not mean that blue does not also express personality and character. Interior design and planning turn to this chromatic variant to express freshness and energy in its lighter shades and strength and reliability in its darker ones. In detail, sky-colored textiles, smooth or textured, natural or technological, are very versatile and blend well with other materials such as wood, metal, and various plastics for formal cleanliness and aesthetic harmony. The different shades of this color positively stimulate our visual perception and transmit relaxation and well-being. Therefore, the blues used on sofas, armchairs, seats, beds, and dormeuse are an excellent choice. Textile surfaces in this color will condition our interaction with domestic objects and spaces, arousing a ‘good’ and regenerating feeling.

Lem 2-seater sofa by Miniforms

Beyond the design

Nietzsche used to say, “If you gaze long enough into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you”. Have you ever wondered what he meant? We might think that the concept of abyss symbolically expresses a desire and a fear: the depth of the abyss scares us, but it attracts us, and sometimes we do not hold back from trying to explore it. The deepest point of the sea, the Mariana Trench, represents this phenomenon in nature, that point where the sea is so deep that not even light can completely penetrate it. This color palette is characterized by the tones’ fullness and intensity: magnetic colors on the textile surfaces that fill your gaze so much that you can feel the material even without touching it. Therefore, the color of the abyss is accompanied by a decisive design that has a style with a strong personality and contaminations. Soft velvet, geometric-inspired textures or classic textures: both the solid colors and the contrasting combinations with this color are enveloping, intense, and never predictable. And when the saturation is at the max, and the abyss seems almost black, they still give off a brightness that makes them the best companions at home in the name of well-being.

Pouf Hollywood large by Bonaldo

Egg armchair in Capture fabric by Fritz Hansen

Round carpet Andria by Seletti

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Pure as snow, or rather immaterial elegance When I think of snow, Claude Monet’s painting entitled ‘La Gazza’ immediately comes to mind. Monet painted over 140 snowy landscapes, but this is the most loved and known: it always arouses a beautiful emotion in me, too. It evokes that feeling of softness that snow always brings with it and also an almost surreal silence. A detail: the color of the snow in this painting is incredibly pearly and gives off an enveloping light. Here indeed, more than the snow, Monet painted the impression of snow, and the evocative power of the picture is stronger than ever. We should look beyond the obviousness of this color belonging to the Christmas mood or eternally associating it with the minimalist cause, so we can find a thousand different inspirations that will make us love it at any time of the year and in every living environment. Unlike pure white, the color of snow has infinite shades, from warm to cold, which refer not only to nature and purity but also a contemporary style. These nuances perfectly harmonize with a minimal design like some of the pieces that, on the theme, have inspired us the most. Essential, functional, and highly refined: we can only describe them with these words. On such pure shapes, fabrics speak the language of style and quality. Every detail, even the smallest, is well cared for to achieve maximum comfort and aesthetic value. Elegance goal achieved!

Claude Monet, The Magpie, 1869

Lem armchair by Miniforms

Migration carpet: Gazza by Nodus

Beyond the design

Shiko Magnum double bed by Miniforms

Via57 armchair in Capture fabric by Fritz Hansen

‘Mauve’: perfect for a fresh and natural style Mauve has an obvious naturalistic appeal: it takes its name from the wild grass that is very widespread and well known for its medicinal properties. The nuances of the mauve flower when it blooms in spring are incredible, varying from the lightest lilac shades to intense shades of taupe. And to think that William Henry Perkin almost accidentally invented the ‘mauve’ color. His father wanted him to be an architect, but he became passionate about chemistry, so in 1856 he synthesized this color almost randomly and gave it the name of that flower whose color he imitated. The ‘mauveine’ shade was immediately a great success and became part of the trendy ‘palette’ for the time’s fabrics and fashion. The color mauve still fascinates us for the strength and delicacy that emanate from its multiple shades and its elegance and

versatility, making it a color loved by architects and interior designers worldwide. The ‘mauve’ palette is at its best, especially on furnishing fabrics: sofas with a more daring design, armchairs or poufs with a more decorative taste, textile beds, cushions, and rugs. There are no limits to the creativity that leads to developing furnishings by covering them with the delicate textures or the textures’ sinuosity that have this color as their protagonist. Here are some examples: objects we like for the material elegance of the fabrics and the clean and essential design. These textures and colors can fit well into any room of the house, and find a passepartout for a discreet elegance, foreign to passing fashions, in the rich chromatic scale of mauve.

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Transparent house by Giulia Tomba

The elegant poetry of light. Glass, polycarbonate, acrylic or plexiglas. Furnishings made of transparent materials give a touch of refined elegance to any choice of decor for your interiors. Like a rite of rebirth, their surfaces are a celebration of light. They allow the light to lightly pass through, amplifying their surroundings. The appealing play of reflections and intangible and timeless charm of these pieces fascinate us. Furnishing with transparent elements

allows you to create combinations of great effect: a detail full of grace in the most classic environments and sophisticated extravagance when coordinated with an ultramodern design. A contrast full of character also arises from their combination with different materials, such as wood, marble, or steel. Their lightness is always what connects them, which is not a weakness but, on the contrary, a sweet complexity that can only arise from subtraction.

Bon Jour table lamp BY FLOS

This is a new lamp archetype by Philippe Starck. Its ethereal body is almost immaterial and can be customized with your favorite top and crown lampshade. With this collection of coordinated lights, the designer wanted to combine high-tech dematerialization with the freedom of creative expression.

Transparent house

Glenda chairs BY SCAB DESIGN

Sound-Rack Bookshelf BY KARTELL

This shelving unit allows you to combine different stackable and modular units and offers the possibility of creating different geometric and chromatic solutions.

Made of transparent polycarbonate, Glenda chairs renew both the most classic and the most modern furnishings thanks to their elegant lines and sophisticated design. They are extra comfortable and light-weight, making even the smallest spaces more airy.

Sparkle Stool BY KARTELL

Ding coffee table BY NORMANN COPENHAGEN

Inspired by the well-known three-dimensional wooden puzzle, its base is a seemingly inextricable sculptural knot highlighted by an exclusive glass tabletop.

Borosilicate glass pot BY KNINDUSTRIE

The thick transparent borosilicate glass pot is almost invisible and makes the ingredients inside great protagonists with it boiling dance.

The Sparkle stool is a new creation by the Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka. In addition to being a chair, it can also be used as a side table. Its transparency, combined with the particular pleating of the material both inside and out, refracts the light and makes it shine like a diamond.

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ENERGY NEVER LOST

The general public is digital, but we all desire to hear and be heard.

by Alessandra Luporini

A Promenade in colorful geometric rooms. (Prada)

Fashion is a vital channel of expression…art, design, and prêt-à-porter are a single portal through which a social and philosophical concept is communicated. Milan Fashion Week begins with Prada and Raf Simons, who have created an explosion of bold colors inspired by the idea of change and transformation; a fusion of disparate themes

and androgenic volumes reflect the theme of humanity in which men and women keep the masculine and the feminine within themselves. The show’s set will breathe new life into unique installations and recycled materials used to create products and popups worldwide.

Fashion

“Notturno”: through a gentle and refined collection, Giorgio Armani invites us to look at lightness after darkness.

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BACK TO NATURE Luisa Beccaria presents a romantic short film in the midst of fields and bougainvillea petals entitled “Hug,” communicating a desire for tenderness, hospitality, and love. Elisabetta Franchi, as well as Longchamp, parade in equestrian scenes representing an aristocratic rider and choosing the horse as an expression of dynamism and elegance.

Fashion

“The question is like a knife that tears open the canvas of a painted backdrop, allowing us to take a look at what is hiding behind it “ Milan Kundera

VALENTINO HAS CHOSEN BLACK AND WHITE He has defined his “fashion act” as a Lucio Fontana aesthetic, which he cut to create new spaces and dimensions.

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The Room of Wonders by Giorgia Messa

Kids

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would!” Alice in Wonderland

It is a good idea to keep this quote from Alice in Wonderland in mind when you are furnishing your children’s bedroom. It is unlike any other room; it is much more. It is a microcosm in its own right, governed by its own laws. First and foremost, we must remember the golden rule: room for imagination! A bedroom should not only be for sleeping or studying, but a magical place, where you can play, dream, and go on a thousand adventures... “It’s impossible,” said Alice. “Only if you think it is,” the Mad Hatter replied. So, forget the ordinary and let yourself be guided by the extraordinary, bizarre and nonsense. Furnishing your children’s room will be fun and will allow you to escape reality for a while. Our only warning: indulge, yes, but with style! It’s easy to get carried away; the road from Wonderland to hodgepodge land is short. To avoid this risk, rely on brands that combine originality, creativity, quality and class! Here are some valuable tips.

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Ceci n’est pas une “lampe” Do you know the painting by Magritte entitled “The treachery of images”? Under the scrupulous representation of a pipe are the words in French “This is Not a Pipe”. Beyond its specific meaning, the work lends itself well to explaining the key role that imagination plays, especially for youngsters: showing reality not for what it is but for what we would like it to be. This is exactly what children do: they take an object and do what they want with it. A puppet becomes a friend, a wooden stick becomes a sword or a magic wand, and a calculator becomes a cellphone. So why not stimulate their imagination with lamps/non-lamps? We recommend the small Rabbit table lamp - EU plug 1 , by the designer Stefano Giovannoni for Queebo, the latest generation

Italian brand. The minimal and total white design makes the product elegant even in its creative and fun form. After all, the White Rabbit, so dear to Alice, cannot be missing in the Room of Wonders! Instead, for fans of Lewis Carroll’s Queen of Hearts and incurable romantics, we recommend the Cuore Softlight wall lamp by BuoKids 2 . In addition to the attention to detail, its eco-friendly construction should be applauded. The heartshaped lampshade is made from recycled plastic bottles. It is a fireproof material that is hand-sewn and available in different colours: yellow, gray, blue, and pink. In short, even a lamp can transform itself from a simple piece of furniture into a fun element of your children’s imaginary world.

Kids

One room, infinite worlds We have said that children see reality not for what it is but for what they would like it to be. And they know how to do even better. They see themselves not for what they are but for what they would like to be, princes and princesses, superheroes, astronauts, doctors and chefs. They live many lives and create infinite worlds. In the past, one had to settle for sheets and pillows to make a teepee or create a secret hiding place, which didn’t really contain anything secret. And to prepare a snack for their puppet friends, they stole some crockery from Mom’s kitchen, with the risk of doing damage. Today, we can resort to design solutions specifically created to entertain our children, stimulating their imagination and at the same time furnishing their bedroom with style. You can start from the kitchen to get to an entire ‘house within the house’ (matryoshka effect). The Kitchen 3 is a high-quality birch wood kitchen by Flexa, complete with a hob, oven, sink and a pantry with a curtain. It has a clean and elegant design and is perfect for our little cooks. Villa Julia 4 is a real villa in resistant cardboard, conceived by the internationally renowned Spanish artist and designer Javier Mariscal exclusively for the Magis brand and its Me-Too collection. It has windows, a roof with a fireplace and a flower garden. It is the ideal place for our little ones to feel like real hosts and have a thousand adventures. Also, for the Magis brand, Oiva Toikka 5 , a Finnish glass artist known worldwide, has created Downtown: a polyethylene bookcase with a unique shape that recalls an American skyscraper. It will be fun to find a book and breathe the atmosphere of Manhattan for a moment. So, why limit yourself to a bed and desk when you can have infinite worlds in one room?

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We need space! It is clear that space is needed to make this possible! So, we must adopt agile and crafty furnishing solutions! The Homage bunk bed with a desk by Lagrama will allow you to occupy only one side of the bedroom, with a comfortable and fun loft bed that houses a large L-shaped desk underneath. The clothes hanger from Oliver Furniture’s Seaside collection 6 is a quick and straightforward alternative to the bulkier dressers. It can be easily moved to any part of the room or house, keeping your children’s

adorable clothes or their dolls in sight. The 3-Element Metallic Modular Storage Container - Chrome, by Kartell 7 (a symbol of Made in Italy all over the world) includes 3 elements, each equipped with a comfortable drawer, which can be easily nested, creating a single structure. It is totally devoid of angularity and has a modern and attractive design. These types of solutions will allow your children to move freely throughout their bedroom and have more space for games and adventures!

Kids

The warrior’s rest Of course, all these adventures will wear you out! And there is nothing more beautiful than snuggling up in your own bed, closing your eyes and sleeping as only children can do: deeply and without worries. For this occasion, we would like to highlight two innovative, multifaceted products, with a simple white design, perfect for bedrooms of all kinds and all colours. La Culla - Mini Bed (0-9 years) by Oliver Furniture 8 is designed to accompany little ones throughout the night, from birth until just before adolescence. And it is made with oak wood in compliance with all current regulations concerning sustainability. The

possibility of extending the crib to transform it into a small bed allows children to always recognize their own bed, so they never have to change it during the most important stages of growth. The Swing cot with Relax system 9 , designed by Vicent Peris for Micuna, is equipped with a swing and relax system that can be blocked, allowing you to tilt the bed into two positions. It can also be converted into a single bed (140x70 cm). Carroll put everything in his Wonderland except a bed. Perhaps because, if he had, Alice would never get tired and her adventures would continue indefinitely!

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Padova

Riccione

LoveTheSign is coming to Riccione Our e-commerce is becoming a real physical force. The birth of the first Concept Store in Piazza della Frutta in Padua, in December 2020, revealed to us how reality and virtuality can contaminate each other with mutual satisfaction. This experience makes evaluating and choosing objects and furnishings for your home as easy and perfect as possible. The shop is an extension of the design studio. Interior designers

and architects highly appreciate this because it provides a place where it is possible to activate personal engagement, which does not occur when customers are unable to touch the actual products. Padua was the first, and Riccione will be the second by the first half of April 2021. And the family has every intention to expand. Stay tuned…

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In the store, direct contact with the products activates the 5 senses and allows the style to breathe. At the same time, the presence of the omnichannel “I-wall” gives you access to a vast selection to design and complete purchases directly in the store, with the help of experienced staff.

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Contributors

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Giorgia Messa

Giulia Tomba

Emanuela Perozzi

COPYWRITER

Born in Bari in 1992, she showed a particular interest in writing from an early age. Already in elementary school, he wrote in prose and in rhyme. Grandparents and proud parents forced her to dispense acrostics to anyone who set foot in the house, friends, relatives and strangers, because, as her parents said: “Giorgia manages to outline the character of people starting from their name”. In order not to disappoint them, she never confessed that, in reality, she chose adjectives at random. Convinced by her family that “culture does not eat”, she enrolled in the faculty of law and graduated with 110 cum laude and thesis in criminal procedure. Reached this goal, she decided to give up everything and follow her dreams, even with the risk of an empty stomach. Today, she is happily responsible for communication for Il Libro Possibile, a writer and ghost writer.

Giulia is a rebel order lover. Friulian but with Venetian roots, as a child she dreamed of being a writer or a clairvoyant. As an adult she graduated in literature and became an advertising. She is still working on the second option. She loves the ocean, sardines “in saor”, Chinese acrobats and people with a sense of humor.

She was born the night of San Lorenzo in Rome while her mother, seeing a shooting star, expressed the desire for a girl. She then became a sort of tomboy, with a passion for football inherited from his father and a cousinbrother as her best friend. Growing up she developed a non-conformist personality, but this did not prevent her, some years later, from making her parents proud by graduating with honors in letters. She started writing as a child and never stopped. Devourer of books, she loves literature, author cinema and design houses.

Contributors

Maria Chiara Bocciolini

Lara Vidotto

Alessandra Luporini

COPYWRITER

ART DIRECTOR

COPYWRITER

Florentine, she graduated in Theoretical Philosophy in the mid-90s. Immediately after, he approached the profession of PR and the Press Office, moving first from the world of fashion and then to that of design and architecture. Here she supported some internationally known companies in their communication path. She defines herself as an incurable “storyteller” for the curiosity and passion with which she loves to tell about objects, projects and characters. She finds in writing her “cure” for the anxiety that pervades our times. Mother of Bianca. She loves cinema, art and dogs, preferably boxers.

She was born distracted and grew up collecting ideas that sprout like mushrooms after the rain in the magical forest of neurons that is everyone’s head. Gaze to the horizon, antennas tuned to the design, she smells what is yet to come. She loves the saving power of literature that contains us all, she loves the sound of the band about to turn into the alley, the trees, the dogs, the little things like music boxes and human beings.

Alessandra Luporini, born in 1982 and graduated from POLIMODA in Florence, half Tuscan and half Milanese, grew up in the historic family clothing company between high fashion clothes and environments of the fashion system, between Milan and Paris. Always interested in fashion, craftsmanship and art, she defines herself as creative and spiritual in constant evolution.

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