Being a renowned furniture brand means feeling the pulse of the latest trends in design. Bellavista Collection, whose Italian luxury furniture is famous all over the world, knows it pretty well. Since the very start of the brand, Bellavista has been participating in the most prestigious trade events, like Salone Internazionale del Mobile, where thousands of exhibitors contact hundreds of thousands of attendees. Cross-fertilization among professionals from lots of industries results in active networking, establishing business partnerships, concluding promising agreements, not to mention sharing brilliant ideas and insights.
Also, the brand co-operates with well-known designers and architects all over the world. Attilio Zanni, Bellavista’s genius as a designer and the brand’s co-founder, has lots of business partners and good friends in the global design community. He has long established professional recognition and multiple links within professional circles.
And all this is bearing fruit. Gifted interior designers seek co-operation with Bellavista Collection to enrich their own projects – luxurious villas, mansions, and hotels. These projects win prestigious awards.
The latest project, which got a bunch of awards in 2020, was the redesign and renovation of Nuzul Al Salam Hotel in Muharraqt, the historic city in Bahrain.
Ammar Basheir, an extremely talented young Bahraini architect, interior designer, and the head of Ammar Basheir Creative Studio, turned a decrepit building into a fashionable six-suite hotel. That villa was previously known as Fathallah House; it dates back to 1947. During the restoration, contemporary traits were masterfully blended into the general look retained from the existing interior, so the overall feel of a Bahraini traditional home was preserved.
The renovation and remodeling of this house were performed within the framework of Bahrain Heritage Building Restoration Project. Now, Nuzul Al Salam Hotel is the first one in a row of buildings, located on the tourist attraction named Bahrain Pearling Trail, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012. It means that this house will be the first one, which numerous visitors to the path and the historic part of the city will see on the site.
This brilliant work got an award from Architectural Digest, the leading international authority in design and architecture – AD Design awards 2020 for the category Design of the Year. Also, Nuzul Al Salam Hotel was named the Best Cultural Project 2020. But that’s not all.
The project won the annual Identity Design award; in 2020 it was presented for the sixth time. The virtual ceremony took place on November 4, 2020. The panel of the international jury named Ammar Basheir’s project the winner in two categories: “Hotel” and “Design of the Year 2020” (Interior Design).
This project was also nominated for The International Hotel and Property Awards 2021 (Africa’s & Middle East Award) in the category of Hotel Design.
Time-honored Framework in Harmony with Up-to-date Elements
Built in 1947, Fathallah house was constructed and decorated in the style typical to these years’ Muharraqt. During the reconstruction, designers from Ammar Basheir Creative Studio carefully preserved the framework of the building, retaining basic architectural elements like breeze blocks and doors. The arrangement of rooms and the courtyard with wonderful citrus trees were also left intact. New elements were introduced with great care, blending into the renovated house perfectly. Inside the house now there are mosaics and wall hangings, depicting the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian poem. Interestingly, they are placed near to quotes from Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan – a famous politician, the first President of the United Arab Emirates, who held the office for almost 33 years.
Furniture from a variety of brands became the final touch to the interior. Several grand-looking articles from Bellavista Collection were chosen for this project.
If you visit this remarkable hotel, at the entrance hall you’ll see a number of BICE chairs and RITZ console table. By the way, the peculiarly designed central wooden staircase, which connects the rooms, also starts from the entrance.
Just take a look at BICE and RITZ on Bellavista Collection’s website, and you’ll understand why these pieces were selected. The three-legged dining chair named BICE is very comfy to sit on; it resembles a compact armchair. Its structure can be made either of dark stained walnut or moka stained oak; for the upholstery, fabric or leather are available; both come in a variety of colors. BICE chairs used for the project were upholstered in fabric with a lovely Middle-Eastern pattern.
RITZ console belongs to Dulcechina Collection – 12 pieces, which Attilio Zanni created in 2018 inspired by Oriental aesthetics. What makes RITZ special is its tabletop, made of a slab of white onyx, backlit with LED lights.
The grand-looking MAO console also belongs to Dulcechina Collection; its smart-looking patterned top made of Vienna straw forms a nice contrast to the dark wood of the structure. Moka stained oak was picked for this table, but if you feel like purchasing MAO for your home, there are seven wood options available.
One more console table, ELIZABETH, has a structure made of cast brass, with a hammered antique bronze finish. Its tabletop is available in lots of options, including belting leather (coming in a number of colors) and eight grand-looking wood species, from ebony to natural sycamore. The tabletop of ELIZABETH console chosen for the project, was made of glossy grey sukupira, which looks extremely elegant. So does BOSS armchair, with its deep dark wooden structure (moka stained ashwood) and cappuccino-colored leather upholstery.
And, last but not least, the item which is extremely useful in any top-rated hotel: a luggage rack. The structure of this luggage rack named GARCIA is made of moka stained ashwood; its metal details are in cast brass with an antique bronze finish. The top, made of woven faux leather of brown color, is decorated with matching stitches. The lower support is made of brown saddle leather.
All in all, Bellavista Collection is glad that its furniture pieces contributed to such a remarkable design project. Surely, it won’t be the last one for the brand.
