The 4 rules for creating a contemporary Italian-style décor
06.2023
Discover how to bring Italian elegance to your home décor with our 4 simple tips for timeless, sophisticated interiors
The 4 rules for creating a contemporary Italian-style décor
That indefinable look that suggests luxury but in a discreet, understated manner, a style that goes beyond fleeting trends and fads, an effect that borders on austere but is elevated by the use of wonderful materials and incredible attention to detail. Italian interior design is renowned for its seemingly effortless elegance, but what is the secret to recreating it in your own home? We share 4 simple but key tips to help you do just this.
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Finding the right balance
When it comes to creating contemporary interiors, the key word is balance. It’s all about combining colours, materials and shapes and bringing them together to create the right background for your furnishings and accessories. And so, we have the first rule, which is to dress the space so that every element is balanced, with every brush stroke, colour and detail in perfect harmony.
If we look back in time, we can see how great artists and architects of the past centuries used materials such as marble and travertine to do this, creating monuments, buildings and statures that have stood the test of time and remain as relevant and beautiful today as yesteryear. The Italian artistic tradition is based on finding this timeless aesthetic, and it is something we also try to replicate at Salvatori, with products designed to last not just in the physical sense but also in terms of style.
The magic of lighting
Lighting has always played a key role in art, with techniques such as chiaroscuro used to create fascinating effects and add realism. It’s just as important in interior design where the interplay of light can change our perception of space and add depth and interest. Our three-dimensional textures are designed using the same principle, making them perfect for feature walls.
Patchwork is the perfect example, with its mosaic of different textures, all in the same stone in varying tonalities, interacting with both artificial and natural light to create a stunning background without dominating the rest of the space.
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Uncluttered elegance
Another key rule to a stylish décor is to remember that less is more. It may sound cliché, but you really do just need to focus on a few timeless, elegant pieces to create a beautiful space. The idea is to avoid clutter, but not at the cost of ending up with a sterile, bland atmosphere.
Choose statement pieces that draw the eye, such as the Theca display cabinet which exemplifies Elisa Ossino’s trademark delicate touch and Salvatori’s distinctive understated aesthetic. With a choice of stones and textures for its back panel, it is the perfect showcase for your favourite mementos or a stylish practical storage solution for bathroom accessories, crockery or glassware.
With its bold, minimalist look, Piero Lissoni’s ‘Design for Soul’ table draws the eye and adds style and personality to the dining room, while his Curl Chaise Longue is another piece that epitomises the mantra of essential design. Made from a single block of gleaming white Carrara marble or gorgeous dark Pietra d’Avola limestone, it is both a statement piece of furniture and a sculptural work of art.
The importance of details
The devil, as they say, is in the details, and those small items such as vases, ornaments and home accessories are crucial to adding the finishing touch and injecting a décor with your personality. It can be something as simple as a set of stone bookends, an artistic grouping of marble bottles from Elisa Ossino’s Omaggio a Morandi collection, a whimsical miniature house from Federico Babina’s Archimera range or one of The Village sculptures by a series of renowned designers from around the world.
In summary, contemporary elegance is a delicate interplay of the past and the future. It’s all about discreet luxury and attention to details, from the choice of colour, texture and shape to the positioning of each element.
We are passionate about sharing the Made in Italy design approach, and are always happy to answer questions and help you create your dream interior, so please feel free to get in touch.
We also invite you to download our Walls&Floors, Bathroom and Home Collection catalogues or browse our website where you will find hundreds of inspiring products and images.
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