‘A HEAD MADE OF DESIGN’ WAS BORN
This space was born from the desire to share thoughts, knowledge, ideas, and talk about environments, lifestyles, passions, and everyday moments. It's about reflecting on how the space around us is actually a part of our lives more than we realise and the importance of establishing a connection and create an emotion within our famous ‘four walls’.
At this very moment, I’m writing from my couch. Today in Perth, it’s cloudy with some rain—perfect weather to snuggle up on the couch with a nice hot drink and enjoy the warmth of home.
Another example of a couch where you can feel pampered.
Maralunga sofa
Designed by Vico Magistretti for Cassina
1974
Yes, Perth.
My life has been here for the past eight years. Was it a difficult decision? I’m not sure. When you’re in your early twenties, everything seems simpler, every journey is an adventure, and you don't know where it will lead you. This is where it led me and what is now my husband—back then, a curious and free spirit just like me. And to be honest, that hasn’t changed much.
Our life, however, has changed a lot. It wasn't just new rooms to fill but also rooms in our heads, to fill with a new language, new ways of expressing ourselves and understanding each other.
Spaces in life and heart remained a bit emptier. There are silences when it’s time to talk, and a desire to talk when it’s time to sleep. It’s because of the 6-7 hour time difference from my beloved Tuscany, land of beauty, art, history, and romance.
Design has been a constant in my life. A profession that, before it became one, was curiosity, then passion, then a discipline at university, and finally a lifestyle, a way of thinking, acting, and interpreting everyday life.
- In the meantime, it has stopped raining here, and a ray of sunlight has lit up the pine dining table, suddenly making it a shade more yellow. Light; such a powerful tool in the hands of a creative. But we’ll talk about that another time.
I write here because I enjoy writing and have always been better at it than speaking, ever since I was a child. For some reason, concepts in my head untangle as soon as I take pen and paper, or screen and keyboard. The same thing happens when I start working on a new project.
Here, houses are built differently, even windows are different in most places - it almost feels like everything comes in and out without the need to open and close them. The warm months are many more than the cold ones, after all.
I never felt more temporary than when we were renting here. You can’t alter anything or fix anything to the walls - or at least it’s better don’t if you want to see your bond back ( the deposit ). The concept of wear and tear doesn’t apply. At home, you 'lean in,' let's say, until the term ends, or you decide to buy your own.
We bought a little house in a quiet area (at least our street is). At home, we had fun (my husband a bit less when we started the renovation, which he mostly did), we experimented and still do. My home is also kind of my lab. There are colours, fabrics, materials, samples, drawings, measuring tapes, books, and magazines, which mix with other life objects and furnishings. I like order and a space organised to our needs, but I love enjoying my objects and feeling all the emotions when I use them.
Wrapping myself in the warm blanket on my couch, softened over time and always comfortable. Working from my desk on the chair, where I change positions a thousand times a day, all more or less comfortable. Enjoying a delicious pasta in a beautiful dish, with good wine in a nice glass, on our bench, cozy both day and night when the atmosphere warms up with the large paper rice pendant light illuminating the table.
We were all born creatives, and designing requires a method.
GNUDI
INGREDIENTS:
Spinach: 700gr
Ricotta: 350gr
Flour 00: 45 gr
Eggs: 1
Parmigiano: 50gr
Black pepper: a pinch
Salt: a pinch
Nutmeg: 1/4 teaspoon
FOR THE SAUCE
Butter: 100gr
Sage: 20gr approx.
Parmesan: a sprinkle on the plate.
PROCESS:
Prepare the Mixture:
Place the spinach in a bowl, add the well-drained ricotta cheese, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the egg and grated Parmesan cheese. Add the flour and mix carefully until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
Form the Gnudi:
Take a small amount of the mixture and form a slightly flattened ball, placing it on a tray. Continue until all the mixture is used, and lightly dust the gnudi with a small amount of flour.
Cook the Gnudi:
Bring a pot of water to boil. Meanwhile, in a large pan, melt the butter with the sage. Boil the gnudi in the boiling water. As the gnudi rise to the surface, transfer them to the pan.
Finish and Serve:
Let the gnudi absorb the flavor, gently rotating the pan to avoid breaking them. Serve the gnudi hot with an additional sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
Buon appetito!
When you cook and follow a recipe, there's a list of ingredients to incorporate.
There are specific timings to adhere to and a precise process to follow in order to fully savour the flavour. The same goes for creating a space.
In the upcoming episodes, I'll be writing about the ingredients and the process used to design 'flavourful' spaces with a sense of design.
Just as every traditional dish has its flair and secret ingredients, there are some personal touches and a few secret ingredients, and I'll reveal mine.
In an increasingly digitally connected world but sometimes distant emotionally, let’s not forget, it is the emotional part that stays in our memory and heart, creating lasting bonds between us and what surrounds us.
I now have a craving for chocolate cake, but I'll be back soon!
Giulia
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