the Suite

What are the origins and underlying values of your "The Suite" project?
We had long felt the need to offer an elegant and practical collection of elements capable of fitting harmoniously into any environment, from bedroom to living room, and from bathroom to dining room. The concept of The Suite is a refined space that offers total hospitality: we have interpreted the space from a contemporary perspective, offering top quality to the client while paying particular attention to the practical aspects of hotel housekeeping. All the elements come together to form a unique experience. The Suite is the ideal place to spend time and feel at home, with pleasant surprises thoughtfully offered in each environment. Each Beltrami accessory gently invites you to enjoy your surroundings to the full.

What is the common link between the items in the new collection?
Beltrami's The Suite employs a white gold thread to draw contemporary, sparkling and luxurious designs. This thread coherently unites four environments - living area, bedroom, dining room and bathroom - in a sophisticated and experiential space. It binds the values and aesthetic elements that together contribute to greater customer satisfaction. Beltrami sheets, tablecloths and accessories display detailed decoration in white gold to embellish a space of superior design. The golden thread is also a metaphorical expression of the link between the companies that collaborated in realising The Suite - companies that by tradition, history and positioning have an affinity with Beltrami and the concept presented at Equip'Hotel.

How does Beltrami interpret and enhance environments?
The bedroom - Beltrami offers new, elegant and functional elements that complete the environment and make each client's experience more relaxing and restful. Soft Fibra di Legno sheets envelop the guest in total comfort.
The bathroom - Here again Beltrami helps to make the guest feel the central figure of a welcoming and luxurious environment, using unusual accessories such as an elegant tray-liner for personal effects, made in a fabric coordinated with the sponge or in eco-leather.
The dining room - The imperative of The Suite is to express the full potential of each context. The Beltrami dining-room table creates intimacy and privacy for clients to savour an important dinner with their guests or a light lunch provided by the hotel room service. In common with all the spaces, the white gold thread is perfectly integrated in unique and detailed decoration, as in the attractive napkins.
The living area - This area responds perfectly to contemporary interpretation. For Beltrami it is the space in the suite for doing exactly as one wishes, perhaps reading a magazine while draped in a soft shawl, or enjoying breakfast in the silky comfort of a Fibra di Legno robe.

When marble is present in a space it acts as a focal point. How well does it harmonise with items around it?
Marble inevitably becomes a focal point; it has a personality, presence and versatility that define the space it occupies. I would like to go back to where we began, with the concept of materiality. What can be more material than stone? Philosophy treats matter and spirit as opposites, but the Stoics of ancient Greece regarded matter as a passive principle acted upon by the divine principle, which shapes and animates it. I find this perspective exceedingly attractive.

On a mundane level it mirrors human inventiveness - the design and craftsmanship that transform a piece of marble into a higher form of matter embodying its creator's spirit.

Marble can engage discreetly with items around it without dominating them, or it can insist on setting the tone of its surrounding space. But it always defines the space it occupies. We enjoy combining marble with other elements; in Miami we are creating flooring for a Spa, with every tile specially designed in a mixture of marble and wood. We have also combined marble with steel, or with brass profiles, replacing its classical aura with a trendier, more contemporary feel.

How well does Marmi Vrech adapt to contemporary aesthetics?
I'm very interested in this subject, because marble has always been associated with classicism, for obvious reasons. But marble can be used in completely contemporary settings: as a monochrome floor, for instance, or one with discreet veining using large, ungrouted, 90 x 90 cm tiles. It provides a unique glassy surface for the clean lines of items of contemporary furniture and makes a fantastic impact. Next year we intend to invite young architects and designers to training modules at our in-house Academy at Marmi Vrech, in order to raise awareness of marble and encourage its use in contemporary design. We hope to be joined by important figures who use marble in this way in their projects. We know some really excellent ones.

As a specific example of the contemporary use of marble, I might mention one of our clients, Moroso, with their Diesel Home collection. Renzo Rosso uses marble in a very contemporary manner for them.

What are the main uses of marble in the luxury hospitality sector?
Interior designers and decorators can use it in a variety of ways - for flooring (classical or otherwise) and panelling, or in furnishing accessories. In bar tops, vanity units, lamps and accessories - the possibilities are endless. As we're discussing hospitality, may I mention that for almost 60 years our company has been emphasising the importance of appropriate surface treatments where marble is subjected to heavy use, as in hotels and cruise ships. To preserve marble's timeless beauty, it needs to be treated for protection against staining and degradation by impurities and/or humidity, and to prevent slipperiness in reception areas, showers and humid areas such as bathrooms, spas, and pool surrounds.

Is It true that Purho has developed collections designed for a wide range of environments including living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms?
Purho has a collection that can adapt to different environments, just as we offer different colour options. Colour is a particular feature of Murano glass. Moreover, we are focusing increasingly on a "tailor-made" approach, using glass and fabrics together. This makes it possible to produce objects, accessories and lamps to complement any type of environment. Items can be made in a range of shapes and colours to add distinction to a furnished area.

Glass is a dynamic and highly variable material. How does it adapt to the different needs of clients?
The ability and skill of master glassmakers make various solutions possible, with products in sizes and shapes that meet each client's needs. We can create objects and lamps of different sizes and in a variety of colours, so that a client's requirements are always met. We can create bespoke chandeliers and suggest various solutions to match the client's plans.
We are limited to some extent in not employing industrial production methods, but the advantage of craft production is adaptability.

What are the objects and values that distinguish Purho from traditional glassware producers in the Venice Lagoon?
Purho was formed with the idea of producing a contemporary collection based on the venerable tradition of Murano glassware, but reinterpreting its classic theme in a modern key. The designers we work with have developed products with a fresh new emotional appeal.
The Kastle collection makes very modern use of geometric forms, and the new Magus lamp is a unique, winning combination of glass, brass and rich velvets. Our objective is to create a limited-edition collection of objects and accessories, enabling clients to acquire unique and valuable pieces.

How important is it to understand the context of a new project?
Understanding the context and sensitivity in respecting it are fundamental to our competitiveness, especially when we work with international clients who operate in radically different contexts. We constantly strive for the best quality, appearance and functionality in the solutions we create for the client, a considerable challenge for us that we find extremely stimulating. Our relationship with the client is also particularly important in helping us to understand the context. Only companies that can establish a relationship of trust and understanding can fully appreciate what is needed and implement the project to the highest possible standards.

How does Tempora manage to enhance a space?
Without doubt our strength lies in our ability to give substance to clients' projects. Ideas and inspiration fuel our achievements, which are closely aligned aesthetically to the best of "made in Italy" and its integration of innovation and craftsmanship. Since 1967 we have been interpreting architectural designs and the expectations of private clients in ways that have successfully met contemporary market requirements. Our materials and attention to detail ensure tasteful elegance in every space.

What are the essential features of a Tempora object?
A Tempora object is immediately recognisable for its rigorous response to the most demanding customer requirements and for complementing sophisticated environments where high quality materials and a strong presence are essential. Our objects are distinguished by a high level of personalisation, inimitability and aesthetic value arising from respect for the project and its execution. It should be possible to place each element in its environment in a way that offers maximum functionality and makes the person central to the space.