Spring of the year 2022 is in full swing, and high-end furniture makers and designers are in anticipation of the 60th edition of the Salone del Mobile. Milano. This year, it’s scheduled to be from 7 to 12 June; the event will take place at Fiera Milano Rho in Milan, Italy.
The last two years were really tough for the global economy due to the corona pandemic. Furniture design and production were hit hard. Fortunately, things are gradually getting better, which was marked by the Supersalone held last year. And in 2022, the anniversary edition of Salone del Mobile. Milano comes back at last in all its splendor, and so is the Milan Design Week. No wonder the general message of both events is looking ahead to the future.
Bellavista Collection, a renowned manufacturer of Italian luxury furniture, has been participating in the Salone since the very inception of the brand. In fact, Bellavista Collection was first presented as a distinct brand here, at the 2010 edition of Salone Internazionale del Mobile. The company has never missed these exhibitions till 2020, when the Salone was canceled due to the pandemic. Each time the company showcased a very special collection of newly designed pieces.
A Decade Ago
Let’s hark back to, say, 2012 and remember what Bellavista Collection showcased at Salone del Mobile a decade ago.
2012 was the very year when the brand radically changed its approach to its display at trade fairs. Instead of showing separate pieces, the brand started combining them into ensembles, so that Bellavista’s exhibitor booth at Salone 2012 resembled a fully furnished apartment – from the furniture itself to lamps, boiserie, and mirrors.
That year’s collection included a number of items that later became iconic; what is more, they are still among bestsellers. Well, what pieces created at Bellavista in 2012 still are in great demand in 2022?
It’s so difficult to pick what item to start with, so let’s look at them in alphabetical order.
ALI BABA
The name of this coffee table reminds me of the same-named character from “1001 nights” – a famous collection of Middle Eastern folk tales. Well, there definitely is something Oriental in this table’s overall appearance. Relatively low and square, ALI BABA looks superb thanks to the ornate pattern designed in Bellavista Collection, on its sides. It is composed of repetitive elements made of solid wood. By the way, the same pattern was chosen for the transparent wall-to-wall partition panels that greatly contributed to the overall style of Bellavista’s exhibitor booth at the Salone del Mobile 2012.
The structure and the tabletop of ALI BABA are also made of solid wood – oak, to be precise. There are four wood options available: natural, moka-stained, grey-stained, and smoke-stained oak. If you like marble inserts in tabletops, you can opt for one and choose among three gorgeous kinds of marble: Striato Grey, Calacatta, or Emperador Dark Brown. Or would you prefer hammered cast brass with an antique bronze finish? One of ALI BABAs showcased at the exhibition had such a top; the other had an insert made of beautiful Emperador Dark Brown marble. Besides, to demonstrate how versatile ALI BABA could be, it was exhibited in two versions: as a smaller side table and a bigger coffee table.
When ordering an ALI BABA table now, you can pick either of the three size options available for it. All are square, with the sides of their tops of 44 centimeters (17.3 inches), 103 centimeters (40.6 inches), or 132 centimeters (52 inches.) The smallest version is a bit higher than the other two – 52 cm (20.5 inches) and 36 cm (14.2 inches) high respectively.
DOLCE FAR NIENTE
This lovely bench combines great looks with practicability, and multiple options allow you to choose the one which will suit you best. Its metal base with an antique bronze finish is extremely durable; if you wish, the base will have a decorative insert made of glossy or matte ebony wood.
Traditionally Bellavista Collection offers both fabric or leather upholstery for most of its upholstered pieces, and DOLCE FAR NIENTE isn’t an exception. Both fabric and leather come in a wide variety of colors; the list of these options is constantly updated, so it will be a good idea to contact customer support and ask for the latest version.
If you choose leather, remember that the seat could be with or without quilting, with stitches of matching color. One more option is a handy roll pillow.
As to the size, this bench is 193 centimeters wide, 83 centimeters deep (76 x 32.7 inches), and 41 centimeters (16.1 inches) high.
FLOWER
This magnificent wooden panel picture serves as a perfect example of how masterfully Bellavista combines handicrafts with such leading-edge technologies as laser cutting.
FLOWER depicts a rose flower seen from ahead. The panel is composed of wooden pieces; their edges make lines, adding up to the image of a beautiful flower. The structure rests on a sheet of plexiglass and the solid wood of the details can be veneered with moka stained walnut.
What makes FLOWER special is that it will easily blend into almost any room, thanks to its elegant style and optimal size It’s is 172 centimeters (67.7 inches) high, 102 centimeters (40.2 inches) wide, and 4,7 centimeters (1.9 inches) thick.
MESAMAGNA
This grand-looking dining table was the very first one in Bellavista to be offered with a marble top insert in 2012. The structure could be made of natural oak and walnut, as well as solid wood veneered with a variety of exotic wood species.
To meet the needs of more customers, the table comes in three versions that differ in width: 220, 260, and 300 centimeters wide (86.6, 102.4, and 118.1 inches).
PHILIPPE
Thanks to excellent design and a successful combination of materials – wood, metal, and marble – this sideboard scored a great success at the Salone 2012 and still remains among the bestsellers. What is more, Bellavista is going to redesign PHILIPPE soon, coming up with its new versions with doors clad in leather and metal.
TOSCA
One more item to be restyled in 2022 is the TOSCA floor lamp. Its classic-looking appearance, with structure in hammered cast brass combined with a silk or linen lampshade, made this lamp extremely popular ever after the Salone 2012. It’s extremely likely that the new version (to reconfirm brand’s inspiration fully taken from Nature) will be displayed at Salone’s 2022 edition in June.
There are many other beautiful items that date back to 2012. BICE chair LEONARDO coffee table and FENICE also were created in 2012. In spite of being designed a decade ago, they sell extremely well, which suggests that the Bellavista style is more about timeless beauty than trends of the fashion, which come and go.
