Barnaba Fornasetti fondly refers to his latest home offerings collectively as “The Syntax of Making”. The three new Fornasetti collections, which were unveiled during Milan Design Week earlier this year, feature a suite of furniture pieces and sea-themed accessories. In a time when the world seems obsessed with
the idea of AI and other such technologies superseding human skill, Fornasetti aims to celebrate artisanal integrity and handcrafted elegance, continuing to swear by the motto of “thinking with the hands”.
The first of the lot, the Giardino Settecentesco series, offers a glimpse into the intricacies of Fornasetti’s storied craftsmanship. Classy yet whimsical, its designs combine notes from nature with elements of neoclassical architecture. Also drawing inspiration from the enchanting wonders of the natural world, the Giro di Conchiglie and Musciarabia con Rose collections are equally exquisite. The former’s three-dimensional recreation of marine life evokes a trompe l’oeil effect, while the latter, with its hand-painted bouquet of roses, recalls the heady romance of a garden in full bloom. The magic of these creations, Fornasetti insists, lies in “their ability to convey a message, to arouse a feeling. Not only through the decoration, but through the whole creative process they bring with them—the attention to detail in the choice of raw materials and the craftsmanship in their handmade production. This inseparable combination of creative language and craftsmanship translates into that ‘syntax of making’ that
is part of Fornasetti’s DNA.”
The Giro di Conchiglie and Musciarabia con Rose collections are each an ode to Barnaba’s personal memories of a family holiday villa designed by his late father on Lake Como. A design legend, Piero Fornasetti established the Fornasetti atelier back in the 1940s in Milan. Barnaba took over in 1988, shortly after Piero’s death. Since then, he has been devoted to upholding the family design legacy. “Over time,” he admits, “I have taken on board everything my father created, the historic archive where an endless number of images and creative ideas are stored. I draw heavily on this extraordinary legacy, reworking, reinterpreting, generating new ideas and new renderings of that past.”
The post A look at Fornasetti’s sea-themed home offerings appeared first on Architectural Digest India.