Sleek Italian Lines

Italians are famous for their good taste…good taste in clothing, in furniture, and food. (And is there anything else that matters?) The thing about Italian design is that it’s all about clean lines, the architectural feel of it, the modern sense of it. I think that’s what they’re most famous for is their modern design. And that’s true in their clothing as well as in their furniture and home décor.So when I noticed a common theme coming out of this year’s Design Week in Mila n, I knew it was worth taking note and sharing with my design savvy readers. Several of the artfully designed furniture pieces were made with a repetitive linear motif, a strong feature that has a modern appeal, heavily used in the Brutalist architecture from the 1950s-1970s. However, since Italy is much farther than a gondola ride away, I’ve rounded up similar pieces that are accessible on this side of the pond: LIGHTING The lighting from the Italian prestigious firm Cantori made a statement at the show. The architectural construction was a shining star (pun intended!) amongst the array of lighting options. I found a similar States-side version, designed by Seppo Koho for Chicago’s Haute Living shop.

SEATING Occasional seating plays a key role in decorating and it’s hard not to love the sleek, ultra-modern options that are popping up everywhere. Several bended metal ones were spotted in Milan, manufactured by the likes of Bonacina Vittorio and Fermob .

Bend Seating , located in Southern California, is known for their intricately arranged wire chairs (their Ethel chair is seen here). I absolutely love this quote on their website: “Just as lines are written to create a story, our lines are designed to create structures inspired by our lives.” How do you say, “Well said!” in Italian?

TABLES Jessica Carnevale’s chair designs for Carnevale Studios in Italy have appeared at the MoMA, ABC Home and more, and this year she launched her first line of tables, the Brutiful Clay Tables , at the design show. This Herman Miller version from All Modern is made of wood and a bit easier to infuse into the everyday home while still transmitting the trendy repetitive design. Bellissimo!