ENGLISH TEXTS.

Harmonies in the mirror

CLASSICAL TASTE IS THE LEITMOTIF OF AN APARTMENT IN MILAN, WHERE DESIGN INTERACTS WITH ANTIQUES AND ITALIAN STYLE MINGLES WITH THE TRADITION OF CRAFTSMANSHIP. Classic is an attitude. A natural gift. An idea, reflected in the Milanese home of Caterina Rivadossi and Dario Rinero: 280 square meters of marble, mirrors and brass, where signature design and museum-grade antiques enhance each other. The couple and their two daughters are no strangers to beauty: Caterina works in the field of business planning but has always had a taste for art, while her husband is the CEO of the Poltrona Frau group, made up of companies that have written the history of Italian design. The restyling was done directly by Caterina. Delicate shades of beige soften the spaces, disguising doors and wardrobes, bringing out an idea of open space that can be bordered when necessary. Design pieces seem to float in an elegant, minimal context, a spontaneous, natural balance of different eras. «The antique furnishings and paintings came from our previous home», says the lady of the house. «They belonged to my family. We have kept our favorite pieces in this new, more modern context». A world of subtle nuances and rare chromatic harmony. The beige motif is enlivened by touches of intense color. «Giulio Cappellini, designer and talent scout, offered decisive help in the mix of modern and antique furnishings. He encouraged me to find a strong color to juxtapose with the beige. Looking at the Cappellini color charts, I saw a beautiful cobalt blue and wanted it immediately». An idea of discreet elegance, relying on the possibility of working with the Contract division of Cassina for the fixed furnishings, with the help of the finest artisans and designers. And the new design pieces seem to demand the presence of contemporary art. Always with classical references, however, as in the case of works by Igor Mitoraj and Luca Pignatelli. Manhattan, a small gem of creative energy and hospitality, with 86 rooms and suites on 16 levels. The decor has great narrative impact, which should come as no surprise since Kemp has written what is considered the bible of hotel storytelling,

a tale conveyed by objects, fabrics, artworks, wallcoverings. The place reflects the idea that a hotel should be like a living organism, an open book, where each client adds something to the story. It would be hard to describe the personality of every single space, because the designer shuffles the cards, artfully mixing different suggestions, from ceramics by Martha Freud to paintings by Eileen Cooper, sculptures by Stephen Cox to handmade South American fabrics and Indian metalwork. A world apart dominated by color, with tones of pink, red and orange to light up the patterns of the upholstery. Fabric-clad mannequins as coat racks, wicker baskets of all kinds, a neo-Gothic credenza nonchalantly left in a corner. But also touches of forceful emphasis, bathrooms in marble or granite, the enormous living area of the Whitby Suite on the top floor, the lush decor of the restaurant. An irresistible poetic of excess, in the tradition of the Firmdale Hotels, owned by Kit Kemp and her husband Tim. The range of pleasures is completed by a fitness room, a winter garden for afternoon tea, and a small cinema for private screenings or live performances.