Ciao Baby!
It’s
a tough life being an artisan. We constantly try to upgrade our
knowledge of products. materials, trends etc. We also like to think
outside the box. So we will be off to Italy and Morocco soon, for some
meetings, training and a nice meal ( or 2...or 3).
Game
Plan
The
game plan is to hit Milan and see what the top Italian designers are
doing these days. Since we do high end wall finishes, we’ll see how
they are integrating this into their designs. Along
with this, we will be meeting top artisans there, seeing what cutting
edge finishes they are creating and doing for Italian designers and
high end homeowners so we can take these new trends and finishes home
with us. Let’s face it – along with its past and culture, Italy
is the to-die-for place in design, so we want to be in the know. We
will also be meeting with suppliers of Italian plasters, sampling
their new materials and checking out new cutting edge applications.
From
there we head to Vicenza to meet the owner of Stucco Italiano, who
will be showing us his products, including a modified Moroccan
plaster for use. We’ll also be taking in Venice for current (and past) Venetian design and walls. From there it’s
off to Florence for 3 days to do a tour of all the artisans in the
artisan quarter ( including the people that do restoration work ),
This will include one-on-one tutoring from a master artisan there, to
get the
true old world flavor and influence from the Renaissance period,
including wall finishes.
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| l Palladio via The Style Saloniste blog |
After
this it’s off to Marrakesh for a week of intensive training at a
riad (hotel) where we will be training in Tadelakt, an ancient
plaster originating from this area, dating back to the bath houses
of Roman times. This material is currently very popular and trendy in
Europe and many expensive residences here. The finishes created from
this are beautiful and silky smooth, as well as being completely
waterproof, so they can be used with in bathrooms, showers,
walkways…they can even put it on pottery. This is a week worth of
on the job training with a master, which should be fairly intense and
very worthwhile.
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| http://home-interior-design.org/bathroom-tadelakt-pro/ |
From
there we have a pit stop in Madrid and then back home to hit the ground
running. So this isn’t what you’d call a vacation, sitting around
with vino and pasta. This is a chance to get creatively recharged.
So
to that end, when we return, we will be setting appointments with
homeowners and designers who would like to meet with us, to see
samples and information on what’s new and exciting things we can
offer that might fit into a project you have going.
Sound interesting? Call or email us! --- Kevin
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