Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, better known as Madame de Pompadour, was born in Paris on December 29, 1721. At the age of nineteen, she married Charles Guillaume Le Normant d’Étiolles, which gave her significant social stature. She later became King Louis XV’s chief mistress, in 1745. Her position as the mistress of Louis XV gave her […]
Jindrich Halabala (1903-1978) Jindrich Halabala was born in the Czech town of Koryčany in 1903. He became one of the most significant Czech furniture designers of the 20th century, having significant influence over the design trends of the interwar and postwar periods. Education Halabala began his education as a furniture maker in his father’s joinery […]
Kanz Architetti Venice Architects Mauro Cazzaro and Antonella Maione founded Kanz Architetti, a multidisciplinary design office, in Venice in 2014. Kanz engages in design ranging from restoration of residential architecture, commercial interior design, temporary design to product design. Its founders believe that a designer’s work is at the base of the construction of any complex […]
The ‘secretary desk’ has a long and interesting history. The desk has derived its name from the French term ‘secretaire’ which literally translates to a rectangular desk (the height is greater than the width). Jean-Francois Oeben – Louis XV’s royal cabinetmaker – is believed to be the creator of the original secretaire desk. Renowned for […]
Louis XV Style & History Not many styles have held such influence through the centuries as that of Louis XV. Louis XV reigned from 1715-1774. This period reinvigorated French furniture and breathed new life into the older Baroque style. This style’s feminity starkly contrasted the masculine characteristics embodied by Louis XIV furniture. Louis XV style […]
Antiques and sustainable furniture: eco-friendly living Go green and do your part to save the earth by decorating your home with sustainable furniture and antiques. With climate change being the main focus of numerous campaigns, from politics to advertising, going green has become a mainstream concept — not just something for hippies. Using a mix […]
The Neoclassical furniture era is an especially interesting antique period, because the classical eras of Ancient Greece and Rome directly inspired it. In this period, which came into being in the 18th century, we see a resurgence of long-lost classical motifs, the art and style of ancient Greco-Roman domains. We also know this style as […]
Annalisa Dominioni and Benedetto Quaquaro founded the studio (a+b) in 2011 in Milan. Their aim was, and continues to be, to combine research and innovation with poetry. They specialize in space design and extreme environments, and experiment by hybridizing space and terrestrial design. They have designed in many fields: transportation design for big industry, fashion […]
Eliana Lorena graduated from the University of Milan with an Art History degree in 1977. Soon after, she began working with Elio Fiorucci. After that, she had an apprenticeship at the Center of Design in Montefibre (CDM). In 1989, she set up the Metals Group with Aldo Petillo and Davide Mercatali to conduct research into […]
Riccardo Monte Riccardo Monte is an architect and maker who loves his work. He studied architecture at the Polytechnic of Milan and at London South Bank University. After working at dRMM architects in London for 6 years, he decided to return to his home, Ornavasso, Piedmont, Italy. Once returned, he spent 6 months in a […]