The Artisans

Design Center’s first prototypes by Nino Basso made their debut at the end of the 1980s: home and office accessories defined by formal simplicity and elegant craftsmanship. Already art director of an international fashion brand, Basso established a small artisan firm in Spilimbergo, a town between Venice and Trieste. In 1991, his niece, graphic designer and photographer Cristina Colonnello, joined the brand, expanding to interior furnishings and industrial designs. Basso continues creating numbered series and single pieces that lie at the intersection of art and design.

Luigi Fontana brand was founded in Milan in 1881. In 1931, legendary designer Gio Ponti became artistic director of the company, hiring master glassmaker Pietro Chiesa to guide the brand alongside him: in 1932, FontanaArte was born. With artistic directors Max Ingrand in the ‘50s and Gae Aulenti in the ‘70s at the helm, the company grew whilst maintaining its artisanal soul, collaborating with young and established designers. Today, under the guidance of Giorgio Biscaro, FontanaArte still creates lighting fixtures of striking modernity.

A real treasure in the world of lighting, Contardi has recently been at the forefront of the contemporary scene thanks to its innovative and luxurious designs. Based in Cesano Maderno, in the Brianza geographical and cultural area renowned for the art of craftsmanship, it creates stylish lighting solutions for both residential and contract projects, including custom-made designs for the hospitality sector. Merging aesthetic and functionality, Contardi’s collections boast a variety of high-quality materials and elegant finishes combined with the newest LED technologies.

Founded in 2008 by Patrizia Furnari and Fabio Fazio, Lithea has its roots firmly buried in the Sicilian land. Inspired by their passion for design and architecture, both architects, they created an innovative concept where the beauty of stone materials intertwines with artisanal mastery. In a blend of tradition and modernity, LITHEA explores new frontiers through cutting-edge production systems and advanced technologies, embarking on a journey of research and experimentation that continues to evolve.

A passion for marble inherited from his grandfather Gualtiero Danesi inspired Marco Danesi to establish Carrara Home Design in 1985. His small workshop was located in the heart of the Carrara Marble Quarries, specifically in the Fantiscritti, the place where Michelangelo choose blocks for his masterpieces. Danesi’s unique creations define a new type of classic, in which traditional artistic craftsmanship and modern trends converge. These pieces bear the distinctive marks of fine artisan workmanship, handcrafted using exclusively material from quarries in Tuscany.

Lisa Corti’s established her eponymous Home Textile Emporium in the mid-‘80s in her home in Milan. In 2005, she moved the atelier to a 17th-century former-convent to use both as a store and a creative workshop: a symbolic convergence of Western World and Indian and African influences. Corti designs all her patterns in-house and her pieces are designed in Italy and handprinted in India. All pieces are woven using cotton spun on a wooden loom, then hand-dyed using the ancient manual block print technique, whereby carved wooden blocks are dipped in a different color and pressed onto the fabric.

Since its inception, Adrenalina has boldly embraced a precise objective: to challenge conventions by creating design seating that seems to come from the future, inspiring dreams and worlds yet to be explored. Adrenalina has grown by offering unusual armchairs, sofas, ottomans and modular systems, daring with enthusiasm from all points of view: conceptual, stylistic and communicative, furnishing public and private spaces. Adrenalina has collaborated with Italian and foreign designers over the years. Since 2022, the artistic direction has been entrusted to Debonademeo Studio and the rebranding in 2023 reconfirms the move beyond the more iconic phase towards an era of grace and elegance and placing the seating object at the center of a dialogue with the contemporary human being, immersed in fluid and transversal environments.

Domingo Salotti was founded in 1973 in Pesaro by a group of master carpenters and upholsterers. Over the years, the technical and stylistic skills of young professionals have contributed to the company’s leading position in the manufacture of exclusive sofas and armchairs in contemporary and classic styles. Domingo Salotti combines four decades of experience in artisan techniques with a rich knowledge of raw materials and is particularly renowned in the “horeca” sector (hotel, restaurant, and coffee-bar) for its top quality, high versatility, and dynamic style.

Driven by a passion for silver, Angelo Schiavon founded his eponymous company in 1957 in Treviso, following a long apprenticeship in local silversmith's workshops. From fine silver cutlery to artistic pieces, Schiavon produces works of the finest craftsmanship, where classic motifs and modern designs are created by master silversmiths using age-old artistic techniques, namely chasing, repoussè, engraving, and fretwork to capture the luster and timeless elegance of silver

Cerasarda was founded by Prince Karim Aga Khan and established in Olbia in 1963 as “la Ceramica Della Costa Smeralda”. Since its inception, Cerasarda has distinguished itself for the exquisite work of local craftsmen whose vibrant enamel colors and refined decorations evoke the iconic landscape of Sardinia's Emerald Coast. Part of the Romani group since 2002, Cerasarda interprets the richness of Mediterranean culture and nature through a sophisticated and homogeneous aesthetic rendered with natural materials and a mix of traditional and innovative methods.

Established in 2007 in Milan by Andrea Barra, atelier [1+2=8] started as a creative hub where young designers and craftsmen could meet to create contemporary home décor accessories. After celebrating the brand’s 10th anniversary, the studio moved to the vibrant neighborhood of Isola and under the guidance of Andrea Barra started working with external collaborators to produce in-house sculptural lighting fixtures of refined industrial flair, striking a perfect balance between art and architecture.

Founded in 1946, Fabbrica Pelletterie Milano (FPM) has revolutionized men’s and women’s travel accessories. Merging the talent of five designers -Marc Sadler, Stefano Giovannoni, Marcel Wanders, Jean-Marie Massaud, and Nendo -in one avant-garde concept, FPM’s leather goods and travel accessories are an expression of the harmony between safety and practicality. High-quality leathers merge with innovative techniques and meticulous workmanship to inspire FPM’s progressive designs rooted in the pillars of lightness, practicality, and agility.

Lamberti Design was established in the 1970s in Cava de’ Tirreni, on the Amalfi Coast, as a small metalworking workshop making steel doors, window frames, and balusters. Through creative collaborations with architects and interior designers, it soon became known for its high-quality, handcrafted metal products. Specialized in all types of metals (stainless steel, corten, iron, brass, copper, and aluminum), dedicated artisans masterfully execute all designs with each production stage, from polishing and welding to applying custom-made finishes.

Meroni and Colzani started out as two separate businesses specialized in furniture and upholstery since the ‘60s. As two third generation, family-run companies operating in the cabinet making district of Brianza near Milan, they eventually merged to unite their tradition and sartorial expertise into one brand. Meroni & Colzani use the finest wood, leather, and fabric coupled with the latest technologies to produce sophisticated modern pieces for the home.

Iconic glassmaking company Cappellin Venini &C. was founded in 1921 by Paolo Venini and Giacomo Cappelin. Divided and renamed Vetri Soffiati Muranesi Venini in 1925, it soon became a well-recognized name in artistic glass production, reaching its golden age in the 1980s with important collaborations with distinguished artists, designers, and architects. Venini’s exquisite blown glass objects represent the perfect marriage between Murano’s tradition and original designs by artists like Alessandro Mendini, Gio Ponti, Ettore Sottsass, and Carlo Scarpa, just to name a few. Our customers favorites: Venini vases, Venini table lamps.

In 1987, Maurizio Leo Placuzzi founded Sicis in Ravenna, a town where artistic mosaics have flourished since the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. Each mosaic is made in Sicis’ workshop executed by the expert hands of a dedicated team of artisans, all graduates from the Ravenna Musive Art Academy. Inspired by ancient splendors and contemporary aesthetic, Sicis furniture is distinctive for its sophisticated finishes and precious fabrics reminiscent of mosaic patterns.

Aiardini is a Naples-based lighting firm established in the late 1990s specialized in handmade chandeliers and lighting solutions for both modern and traditional interiors. All pieces are meticulously crafted with an artistic attention to detail and high-quality materials, notably mouth-blown Venetian glass and Swarovski crystals. Aiardini brings together the technical know-how of architecture with the limitless versatility of glassmaking to reveal refined works of functional decor. Bespoke pieces and customizations are available to suit customers’ vision and decor needs.

Lo Decor is a luxury interior design firm established by Lorenza Briola in 2017, noted for its highly sophisticated aesthetic and meticulous production process. Central to the brand is a research and innovation ethos that is evident in all its pillows, from thread and color selection to the final motif design. All pieces are marked by simple versatility and charming hues that are easy to mix and match. Based in Carimate (Como), Lo Decor places their customers at the center of its creations, providing customizations that embody each vision and interior need.

Established in 1959, Illulian is a well-established luxury design brand renowned internationally for its commitment to craftsmanship. Currently, under the direction of Davis and Bendis Ronchetti Illulian, this family-run company creates works of art with a distinct heirloom quality. Their prestigious showroom, located in the heart of Milan’s fashionable “quadrilatero” district, has unique modern objects and examples of the in-house design studio pieces on display, rendered in full detail and customizable thanks to Ilullian’s team of skilled artisans.

Born in Cesena, Emilia-Romagna, Davide Medri is renowned for his masterful approach to glass mosaic art. In 1997, he established his eponymous brand with glass mosaic mirrors as the central elements of his sculptural and design creations. Over the past 10 years, his works have received acclaim by architects and interior designers worldwide for their deft craftsmanship, as each glass piece is cut and fixed by hand. Medri also creates furniture, floor and wall lamps, and sculptural pieces, using iron, stainless steel, and his trademark glass mosaics.