THE HOLLY AND THE IVY
A sense of wonder permeates this magical Milanese restaurant and store, which makes an atmospheric setting for its owner’s spectacular seasonal soirées
Interior designer Enrica Stabile opened L’utile e il Dilettevole 30 years ago. The restaurant and antique furniture store is a magical space resplendent with crystal chandeliers, vintage china and abundant flowers and foliage that trails over the furniture and spill from vessels. Enrica’s collection is disparate, unique and curious, and creates a captivating setting for a series of gatherings that she hosts at the venue. At Christmas, the magic is magnified.
‘Christmas is a very important time of the year for me,’ Enrica says. ‘I think carefully about the atmosphere I want to create as I want it to be enchanting. I find a focal point for the scheme, which can be a single object, colour or theme, and the décor evolves around it.’ Her lighting is intimate and seductive – a mix of simple fairy lights, industrial pendants and decadent chandeliers – set against a calming backdrop of blues and greens.
This year, ‘Transparency of Mirrors’ is Enrica’s Christmas theme and her store is adorned with antique looking glasses that reflect the glamour of a bygone age. ‘The mirrors complement the chandeliers and candles, which look beautiful reflected in them,’ she says. She is hosting two events amid the gilt and glass: ‘Grand Hotel Tea Rooms’ and ‘Afternoon Dancing’. ‘Each recalls childhood memories of my parents’ trips to London. My mother would recount wonderful stories when they returned about all the places they had stayed. And this is how I imagined them,’ she says. Music also plays a part in the ambience. ‘ This year, my guests will savour a slice of Sachertorte and a glass of sparkling white wine while listening to the waltzes of Johann Strauss.’
Enrica’s 2.6-metre-long dining table is the focus of the festivities every year. The centrepiece is a tureen inherited from her grandmother. ‘It’s filled with branches of holly, a few pale rose buds and ivy wound around silver candlesticks,’ she says. This year, Enrica chose the colour green to keep the scheme cohesive; an embroidered sheet has been dyed pale green to create a luxurious tablecloth. ‘I inherited a lovely dinner service decorated with pale rose and lilac hydrangea motifs, which looks beautiful on it along with white linen napkins tied with green ribbon,’ she says. ‘The finishing touch? Two Venetian-glass bowls filled with pomegranates, clementines and nuts, most of which come from my country home garden. They immediately capture the Christmas spirit.’ solamentegiovedi.com