It’s been over a month since I’ve returned from Salone de Mobile in Milan, and I’d love to say “what happens in Milan stays in Milan” but, luckily for us all, I am not one for secrets and willing to share it all. Not to worry: there are no nefarious affairs with gorgeous Italians to hide. But what I did see and experience at the “Madame of Shows” with her 2,000 exhibiting brands, 550 youngdesigners from 31 countries and her 300,000 registeredvisitors shall be a muse for us all. Andiamo! Of all the things I saw and did, I present to you my top Milan Design Week design inspirations and the Canadian designers inspiring me since then. —Mary Burgers, creative director, Burgers Architecture
Design Collaborations
Phillipe Stark x Dior presented together at the 18th-century Palazzo Citerio for the debut of the Miss Dior Chair and the Monsieur Dior armchair, a “couture furniture collection” infusing the classic Louis XVI Medallion Chair with extreme aluminum minimalism. The entire presentation was truly Milanese. We stood in the dark and watched dozens of graceful, streamlined chairs suspended from above dance one to changing light patterns artfully in sync with a piano composition by Soundwalk Collective.
Here in Vancouver, the dreamiest furniture collaboration is between Provide Home x Lock & Mortice that connects our super unique west coast palette and organic minimalism with natural and sustainable materials. It is furniture made in the truly Canadian way; humble but substantial in form, delicately curved, robust in natural wood grain and elegant finishes, and on par with any classic reinvented for the contemporary curator. And speaking of curating, although I have pieces from both artists, I really love the recent collaboration between Tara Lee Bennet and Kari Kristensen for their piece Night Meadow, which captures the independence and strength of both artists beautifully in a single expression of paper art work.
Natural Stones & Finishes
It was worth waiting the hour in the rain to see the Beyond the Surface exhibit by natural stone specialist SolidNature in the gardens and basement of the neo-Romanesque Casa Maveri with work by artists Sabine Marcelis, Iranian artist Bita Fayyazi, as well as a stage and podium by Studio Ossidiana and a sculpture by Ward Strootman.
Locally I’ve got my eye on the local maker Jeff Martin Joinery Dolmen Low Table, which plays on the classical neolithic structures of century old Europe and is produced at a family run state of the art facility in Northern Italy.
And because we’re all motivated to enriching our understanding of such materials I’m going to read The Aesthetics of Marble: From Late Antiquity to the Present by Dario Gamboni while I sip cold Pinot Grigio and prepare the perfect Pesto Genovese using the marble Craft Mortar & Pestle Set by Normann Copenhagen (both sold at Inform Interiors).
Like Candy!
Within seconds of posting my photos of the new Paola Lenti showroom to my social media feed exploded with likes. Everyone is parched for colour and Paola provideth. Same with the BomBom Outdoor furniture series by Joana Vasconcelos for Roche Bobois. Every visitor to her pastel-coloured Willy Wonka-like installation was a huge fan.
Replicating the colour and the spirit of Italy via some local shops is my new post Milan mission. I’d first shop the super juicy citrine crystal glasses from Obakki made in Italy by R+D Lab and prep for endless Aperol Spritzes.
For a summer table I am super keen on the porcelain Oriente Italiano plates by Richard Ginori sold at Atkinson’s. And because (despite knowing better) I’ll be still working on that effortless Mediterranean tan so I’ll be shopping Walrus for the Shortcut Cotton Beach Towels by Liz Collins … and secretly applying Ban de Soleil when no one is watching.
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