This article is the last, third, one in a small series, telling the brief history of Bellavista Collection – the brand that made production of Italian luxury furniture kind of art. Having sprouted from a family-owned (and very much family-like) furniture producer named Casa Zeta in 2010, Bellavista Collection kept the very best traits of a family business: they focus on quality and truly enjoy what they do.
2016: The Distinctive Style of Bellavista
By 2016, Bellavista had already overcome the challenges young companies typically face. The brand became stronger, learned a lot and formed its distinctive ‘face’, so to speak.
In 2016 Bellavista collection adopted a new brand identity, and the exclusive style we all recognize this brand by, came into existence.
And, of course, the collection itself continued to be replenished. Here are just a few pieces created in 2016: a rectangular dining table named SAN FRANCISCO and a round SAN FRANCISCO COFFEE TABLE; MASARYK chair with optional armrests, GRACE WOOD sofa, and 4STAGIONI table lamp, decorated with cast brass figures of four beautiful women sitting on its base.
2017: A Truly Luxurious Home
The brand’s 2017 collection managed to mix together two pretty different ideas: of domesticity and luxury. Bellavista’s pieces designed in 2017 are chic and modish, but very comfortable at the same time. Both looking at these items and using them is a real pleasure. They easily form ensembles with one another, creating an environment equally sophisticated and comfy to live in.
The LUIS cabinet is surely fit for a king – just as its name suggests. So is GEORGE V, a magnificent monumental sofa, which will become a tzar of a living-room.
CORVETTE credenza, with its bronze base and structure made of fine woods – ebony or grey sukupira – looks stylish indeed, perfectly harmonizing with elegant STRAPP square coffee table, fashionable MEDEA bookcase, and MAFALDA armchair, with the accent on the natural beauty of wood (nine wood options available).
Lovely CABECERA headboard will give a bedroom a whole new look, and IGNIS sconce will add zest to it, along with serving as a source of cozy light.
2018: The Mysterious Orient
2018 was marked by presenting Dulcechina collection, inspired by ever-charming Orient. Dulcechina was such a great success at trade events, that its 12 pieces (the same number as that of signs in Chinese Zodiac) are placed in a separate section of Bellavista’s website.
Quite predictably, most of the names have something to do with Orient. There is a sofa and bench named Dulcechina, an armchair called Shanghai (a big city and a municipality in China), an all-marble side table named Pechino (i.e. Beijing, the capital of China), a Tao bench. As for the last name, in Chinese philosophy Tao stands for the absolute principle underlying the Universe. Also, there is a unisex Chinese name Tao, which may mean ‘a peach’ or ‘long life’.
By the way, did you know that most Chinese are keen on playing board and card games? That’s why LAS VEGAS gaming table didn’t stick out in Bellavista’s exhibitor booth at iSaloni 2018, dominated by Dulcechina items (12 out of 20 interesting newly created items showcased at Salone del Mobile-2018). LAS VEGAS was specially designed and equipped for playing chess, checkers, backgammon, and poker. This grand-looking solid walnut table with details in brass stood right at the booth entrance, instantly turning visitors’ heads. Generally speaking, this part of Bellavista’s stand looked like a room of a well-to-do gregarious bachelor, also featuring a luxurious bar unit called ZEUS and a CLAIRE club chair with a cast brass base and chic leather upholstery. OLYMPIA ceiling lamp with a shade made of perforated metal completed the ensemble.
2019: Remembering Dolce Vita
The idea of the next year’s collection was completely different. At iSaloni 2019, Bellavista Collection reminded the world about a buzz word from the last decades of the past century – Dolce vita.
If you directly translate this expression from Italian into English, you’ll get “Sweet life”. However, the concept is much deeper than just well-being, although very difficult to put into words.
Remember “La dolce vita” movie by brilliant Federico Fellini? Well, the idea of dolce vita is all about the very special atmosphere he had managed to capture. Living life to the full, enjoying every minute of it. Getting pleasure from everything, including beautiful things…
No wonder that designers did their best to reflect that unique atmosphere in their works. Decades have passed, and now certain traits of that time’s design do trigger positive emotions, making many of us feel a bit nostalgic. So, Bellavista’s exhibits, united under such an awesome general idea, scored a great success at iSaloni 2019.
The exhibitor booth was divided into areas containing four complete room sets. For example, in a bedroom area VENICE bed and MIAMI nightstands were displayed, together with LILLIGRE bench, MI-SERVO valet and AGATA sconce. A dining set included QUATTRO PASSI dining table and BRISTOL chairs.
QUATTRO PASSI dining table made of ebony wood, with IPPO tray placed on its top, was cleverly positioned near the entrance. The cast brass tray looked much like a sculpture, depicting lifelike hippos wallowing in a pond and walking nearby. Attendees just couldn’t resist the temptation to step into the booth.
Both luxuriously-looking versions of TUDOR sideboard with decorative brass studs covering their surface, which surely deserved their royal names – TUDOR Bar and TUDOR Jewels – grabbed attention instantly.
So did ADALPINA floor lamp, with some traits in its design harking back to 1960s, PAC MAN coffee table, shaped like an old arcade game character, and super-cozy AVUELA and MATILDE sofas. By the way, the design of AVUELA (which is Spanish for ‘Granny’) was dedicated to Attilio Zanni’s grandmother.
Looking Forward into the Future
The year 2020 by all means poses a challenge to the global economy: entire industries, including high-end furniture making, have suffered greatly from the pandemic. Bellavista Collection is no exception. As you know, in April the company put production on hold due to COVID-19.
What is more, 2020 became the only year without Salone del Mobile since 1961. The nearest edition of the Salone will take place between 13 and 18 April 2021.
But anyway, we all do hope that sooner or later the world will leave COVID-19 behind.
