Italy
-
It’s Time To Celebrate!
Davide and Paolo SozziWelcome to the DIFFA Age
The Italian furniture atelier PROMEMORIA held its annual holiday parties in cities around the world this week including Paris, Moscow, London, Milan and New York. At the New York fete, in the company’s Upper East Side showroom at the Fine Arts Building, New York’s prominent interior designers, design editors and design-loving New Yorkers gathered with hosts Davide and Paolo Sozzi to celebrate the season take a chance in a “Wish-Raffle” to benefit Design Industries’ Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA). Guests made a wish and a donation to the organization for a chance to win one of two tremendous prizes.Some of the wishes were general in nature, others were more specific to the AIDS cause, for which DIFFA has mobilized the immense resources of the design communities and granted over $40 million to hundreds of AIDS service organizations nationwide since its founding in 1984. Journalist and author Jorge Arango made this heartfelt wish “As someone who has lived with AIDS since 1993, it is my sincerest wish that the good works done by DIFFA will not be necessary in some near future, and that a cure will make the organization’s existence unnecessary.” David Sheppard, Executive Director of DIFFA National for more than 15 years, wished for generous benefactors: “What a difference it would make if more companies like Promemoria added ‘doing good’ to doing good business!”Raffle prizes were donated by generous sponsors and included The MoMA VIP Experience (featuring a private, after-hours tour of the museum and dinner for four at The MODERN restaurant, one of New York’s premiere dining experiences), and a deluxe Holiday Home Entertaining package (featuring 8 bottles of fine wine from LaCrema, 6 hand-blown Murano glass tumblers by Promemoria, and a $100 gift certificate to chef Mario Batali’s Eataly Market).
Arlene Angard, RioHamilton, VynaStPard
Michael Tavano, Barry Richards
Rock Axtman and Inson Wood
DIFFA Director Bill Murphy
Darrin Varden, Michael Tavano, LarryMartino
Dennis Scully and Michael Tavano
Fruit Display
James Rixner and Rio Hamilton
Jorge Arango, Vyna St Phard
Maggie Brown, Steven Williams
Michael Tavano, Arlene Angard, Vyna St Phard
Michael Tavano, Arlene Angard
Michael Tavano, Larry Martino
The three hour party was afloat in Italian wine and Prosecco, delicious hors d’oeuvres were copious and a huge buffet table laden with luscious fruits in della robbia style displays and several enormous Panettone, the traditional sweet breads that mark the holidays in Italy, and which hail from the north of the country, where Promemoria is headquartered and where they makes all of their fine furniture, lighting and gift items by hand.
Live jazz from the 45 Riots Quartet featuring Broadwaystar LaShonda Reese singing holiday and jazz favorites
Rock Axtman, Lizzy Schofield
The Panettone is the highlight of the event, and is flown in from Milan especially for the occasion by Promemoria, which has its entire staff tasting various versions of Panettone from Milan’s top bakeries and voting on the favorite months in advance of its worldwide celebrations.Photos courtesy PromemoriaAll Rights Reserved -
The Weekender: Endless Summer
Capri, c’est fini!The last few days, I’ve been thinking allot about Capri, Italy. In this blog, I often talk about my hotel experiences. Either those I’ve been to, or those I’ve yet to explore.The J.K. Place Capri is perched on a cliff above the sea, and it boasts breathtaking, ringside views of the waves. As well as a sense of being on a yacht, with its pale-wood floors and jauntily striped textiles which you will find throughout the beautifully decorated 22-rooms hotel.The J.K. Place Capri is the sort of hotel that is definitely high on our family’s list. A few years back, one of my designer friend stayed at this hotel which is located off above the main ferry port of Marina Grande.
Now married with children, my friend is about to embark on another adventure to Capri, and he’s been recalling his memories of this town and the hotel, as they’re getting ready to take off in the middle of next week.
The main dining room is mainly all white (but exceptionally attractive with accents of fresh flowers and beautifully designed pillows), which makes it a heavenly welcome, especially during thosemorning breakfasts.
The penthouse suite is spectacularly designed with muted tones so as not to distract from the main attraction – the ocean view. How gloriously inviting is this view?
The hotel was stylishly decorated by Florentine decorator Michele Bonan. The design feels like the house of a refined and wealthy collector, and the accents throughout the place are a bit feminine, and at times, nautical.
There are splashes of bright and pastels colors throughout the hotel, to enliven the eclectic sprinkling of antique furniture. All the public places have dark-wood floors which give J.K. Place
Capri a true sense of being a resort hotel.
Recent pieces in sixties-retro style, wing chairs, statues and framed atelier drawings decorate the downstairs lounge, and library. All these elements contribute to a feeling of a home away from home.Although a bit out of the way (which I think is part of its charm), you will have to take the funicular or a car to reach Capri town, but the hotel is well worth the effort, and I look forward to discover it one day. But for now, I will have to live vicariously through my friend Bernard and his wife Sophie.225 Via Provinciale Marina GrandeMarina Grande, CapriItaly 80073Tel: 39 081 838 4001* Don’t forget to participate in our End of Summer Giveaways, listed here on High End Weekly™.NOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you. -
Hermès Furniture Collection
Updates on the Milan International Furniture ShowHow on earth did I forget to mention this on my last post?! French luxury brand, Hermès, has unveil their first ever furniture line at the show this week. Who are the designers behind this grand coup?Enzo Mari, an influential figure in Italian design, has designed a line of living room furniture, the dining room furniture line comes from Anthonio Citterio, and Denis Montel, who has been working with Hermès since 1978, teamed up with with Eric Benque to co-designed a chair that Hermes called its signature object. The collection will be available in select Hermès stores, starting September 2011. In addition, Hermès partnered with Debar to present an absolutely stunning range of fabrics, wallpaper and carpets.
Note: A short video of the fair can be found here - Decorative Arts, Design, Editor's Top Picks, Features, Furniture, I Saloni, Interior Design, Italy, Lighting
Top Design Trends from Milan
I Saloni is 50 years young this year, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at the design trends that keep trickling down each year at this iconic luxury design trade show. Planning to attend? You’re in for a treat since you’ll be able to touch, marvel, and experience the world’s best furniture design.I Saloni is where you’ll find a variety of furniture and accessories – from classical to modern. With an increasing audience each year, no wonder this is the quaintessial place where you’ll find firsthand, the trendsetters of tomorrow.
Scene XXL by Montis Designer: Gijs Papavoine 
Hanoi by Prandina Designer: Federico Churba 
Breva by Molteni & C. Designer: Arik Levy 
Duplex by Matteograssi Designer: Piero Lissoni
