Furniture Designer Showcase - Tato and Tatino

The first of our many designer showcases intended to give you a little more about the pieces we have brought into the shop.

Denis Santachiara, has been designing with Cerruti Baleri Furniture (Née Baleri Italia) since 1995. Among some of his most popular and iconic pieces are the Tato (elliptical shape) and Tatino (spherical shape) rest pods.

More Love, from Milk x

Video - Piero Fornasetti's House

We found this lovely little video on Youtube about Piero Fornasetti's house. It also includes an interview with his son Barnaba.

For those who do not speak Italian, please enjoy our simple translation. 




Begin
On a mysterious evening in Milan, in the rain, two lights shine on me -  one represents the sun, the other the moon... Piero's Fornasetti's house.

(Here) an infinite collection of objects..... even the chandelier is made of thousands of little shells, all attached to the bottom and held together by the fossils of the sea urchin (hedgehogs).... this (the) study where Barnaba continues the traditional activity of his father Piero.....here you find two phenomenal objects that throw you back to the Italian Archibaldian period.

Vegetable with onion face...

Face made of vegetables with green peas....

The number 1818 does not correspond to the year of production obviously, but corresponds to the serial numbers of the projects themselves.

I found here an Archibaldian man, serial number 1652, with an Archibaldian woman, which even deceived me because the serial number is 1588 which is actually the year of the Archibaldian period.

I discovered the world of Peiro Fornasetti when all friends of mine disappeared 20 years ago.... the paper bin, the cat in front of the fire place.... I am rediscovering a formidable object, the little writing table of Gio Ponti, because the Fornasetti stories begin in an professional/work agreement with Gio Ponti.  Fornasetti prior to that was a printer. From there he started on print his own prints on silk, then he met Gio Ponti.

Today, I see a reflection of Barnaba Fornasetti, the second generation of (folle) creatively unique designers;

Barnaba: "Today my work consists in faithfully re-editing some of the pieces done by my father in his atelier. With the same technique and the same quality, and also what I call the reinvention (or re-edition), so reutilizing the design archive of my father.... like this part of the famous face, in which I have added the red of the lips. This I have then use to create new furniture and new objects."

House - infinite and singular, the chair in the shape of a guitar, the Ponti table decorated with fishes, on the Fornasettian rug and the cat that eternally sleeps on the sofa.

The cupboard "fake library" (finta libreria), surrounded by a myriad of drawings.

Drawings from the time of my father (with today's modern interpretation) on the tiles, lamps, heaters, and the textiles, this is a bathroom with an obsession with women's faces staring back at us.

The yellow bamboo furniture (which again is a print on a steel tube), the paravento/screens with the venus and behind, the notorious red room - With all the books bounded in red and all of them containing the word red.

The dining room with one of his most beautiful creations.

This is your proof that Milan is not as flat as it would initially appear.

End.

Original video found here.


More Love, from Milk x

Furniture - Natural Material or Synthetic?

Furniture constructed with natural (found in nature) materials, such as those pieces you can find at Milk that are made from steel, wood, wrought iron/iron wire, leather, ceramic and pressed newsprint, can lend themselves to a certain beauty and durability.

They may also increase in value over time. Wood, for instance, can hold up extraordinarily well to the daily wear and tear of use as a functional piece of furniture.

The original construction and design of the piece must be good, and you must take very good care of your piece with regular cleaning and maintenance.

It's also important to note that this value, and the elegance and grace you have added to your home by purchasing a piece of furniture made with natural material, may also last longer than your lifetime.

Just because a piece of furniture is constructed with synthetic (not made in nature) materials, does not however make it inherently bad. These pieces can exhibit versatility, strength, lightness and durability.

Depending on design, designer and materials used, furniture constructed using synthetic materials may also increase in value over time.

More LOVE, from Milk.

Well done, Patrizia Pepe!

Leather, bizarrely, may be the hottest trend for summer 2010...

   

Our first thought is that given the state of the last few of our British Summers, this, is a thoroughly good thing.

Patrizia Pepe's Fall/Winter collection 2009/2010 contains lots of pieces that would be perfect for

• dressing up
• dressing down
• putting on quickly because the sun has suddenly disappeared
• taking off and tucking away happily because its returned

Roll on summer, we're ready.

More LOVE, from Milk.

First things first - How to care for your Art

You've just bought your first piece of Fornasetti design from Milk Concept Boutique (or your next piece, or you've been buying pieces for a very long time) but, you have no idea how it is made and even less idea on how to take care of it in order to increase its value.

What's the difference between Ceramic and Porcelain anyway?

Ceramic is made primarily of clay mixed with various minerals and water and art works are created by a variety of techniques such as the molding, coiling and burning of clay. The piece is then processed with heat to dry it and re align its crystalline structure.

The primary ingredient in the composition of a true porcelain art work is finely ground sand. Unlike ceramic, processing of porcelain art works involves pressure and extremely high temperatures. The end result is a very dense, glass like material with a tiny water absorption rate.

Handling and Moving your Art works

• Carry one at a time
• Never carry by handles, rims or spouts
• Try to keep them as much as possible in the boxes when moving them

Displaying your Art

• Keep porcelain out of direct sunlight as this will cause colours to fade
• display on secure level surfaces

Storing your Art

• When not on display, keep covered, wrapped or enclosed in acid free tissue paper or, in an enclosed glass cabinet
• store, if necessary, in sturdy acid free cardboard boxes (chances are, the boxes in which they were sold to you are perfect)
• avoid use of newspapers, as they leave inky stains

Cleaning your Art

• Best to keep it away from sources of dirt and dust in the first place and, to avoid washing them or cleaning too often as this increases the risk of breakage
• the easiest way is with a small soft bristled brush - a make up brush or an artist's paint brush maybe
• if using water, use warm water and a soft cloth
• never use bleach or any sting cleaner as they are almost certain to cause permanent damage

Don't forget to Insure your Art

• Really. Start looking into this now.
• Collectible items may need special insurance protection

More LOVE, from Milk