Journal

Stories of style, table setting and everyday Italian aesthetics with gift ideas, seasonal edits and design notes we truly value

A coastal place setting pairing a white Baci Milano textured plate and bowl with a cobalt Mario Luca Giusti goblet on a blue-and-white striped table
Italian Tableware Brands: Baci Milano vs Mario Luca Giusti
You are planning a season of hosting, and two Italian tableware brands keep landing on your shortlist: Baci Milano and Mario Luca Giusti. Both are unmistakably Italian. Both will survive... Read more...
A coastal yacht-deck table set with blue-and-white placemats, cobalt acrylic flutes and fresh fruit — relaxed shatterproof summer hosting
Pool Party Plates: Backyard Summer Tableware That Lasts
The grill is going, the kids are already in the pool, and a dozen friends are drifting between the patio and the water with plates in hand. This is the... Read more...
An artisan shapes a gold-infused crystal horse-head sculpture by hand at the Duccio Di Segna Tuscan workshop — a collectible design object
Home decor gift ideas for the interior-design lover in your life
What makes a home decor gift idea land with an aesthete Some people are a joy to shop for. The friend whose living room looks lifted from a design magazine... Read more...
A white mouth-blown Murano Olla vase on a serving trolley surrounded by gift-wrapped boxes — a one-of-a-kind Italian design gift
Gifts for Someone Who Has Everything: Italian Design Picks
Some people are impossible to shop for. Not difficult — impossible. They own the gadget, the scented candle, the third cashmere throw, and a kitchen stocked with two of everything.... Read more...
A square white Cosmopolitan melamine dinner plate with terracotta rim holding a plated main, set with cutlery and fresh peppers
Corelle Dinner Set UAE: When to Upgrade to Italian Design
A Corelle dinner set is where many UAE homes begin, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is light, it stacks four-deep in a tight kitchen cupboard, and it... Read more...
Hearty soup served in a square white Cosmopolitan melamine bowl with a terracotta rim on a wood board, with rye bread alongside
Is Melamine Safe? How to Choose Quality Melamine Tableware
You have probably typed it into a search bar before a backyard dinner or a poolside lunch: is melamine safe for the way my family actually eats? It is a... Read more...
Cobalt Mario Luca Giusti acrylic stemware beside a cheese platter on an embroidered tablecloth — outdoor pieces with the look of cut crystal
Shatterproof glasses: acrylic vs polycarbonate vs melamine
Every outdoor host meets the same quiet worry. The light is right, the table reads considered, and then someone reaches for the bread basket and a real wine glass tips... Read more...
Colourful Italian pop-art head vases in pink, green and blue arranged as sculptural statement pieces on warm wood shelving
6 Statement Decor Pieces to Anchor a Gulf Villa Interior
A finished Gulf interior rarely fails on its sofas or its stone. It fails on the empty console, the bare sideboard, the shelf that never quite resolves. Statement decor pieces... Read more...
A blue-and-white Italian toile display on warm wood shelves — patterned plates, a serving tray, teapot and vases arranged for a Gulf welcome
Serving Trays: Your Secret to Effortless Gulf Hospitality
The first thing a guest notices is rarely the meal. It is the tray that arrives ahead of it — dates set out in a neat ring, the coffee service,... Read more...
A white Cosmopolitan melamine tray with terracotta rim holding golden treats, set beside a butterfly dish and a glass bowl of fresh berries
Serving sweets for guests: nuts, chocolates, the majlis way
The first thing a guest reaches for is rarely the meal. It is the small spread waiting on the majlis table — a few dates, a handful of nuts, a... Read more...
A gold Mario Luca Giusti pitcher poured toward a matching goblet on a black Arabic-calligraphy surface, set for an elegant qahwa welcome
Majlis Coffee Table: Serving Qahwa and Karak with Grace
The coffee moment is the heartbeat of Gulf hospitality. Before the conversation settles and the sweets are passed, there is the welcome — and a well-set majlis coffee table carries... Read more...
Gold Mario Luca Giusti pitcher and amber goblet on a black Arabic-calligraphy surface, evoking a warm Bahraini majlis welcome
Bahrain Luxury Tableware: Italian Pieces for Manama Hosts
On a small island, everyone hosts. In Manama, Riffa and Saar, the doorbell rings most evenings — cousins dropping by, friends after work, family settling into the majlis for hours.... Read more...