Hopie Stockman Hill and Grier Stockman grew up in an old farmhouse in a sylvan pocket of New Jersey. They played in wheat fields, craggy apple orchards and dense forests; built birdhouses and painted murals. The sisters’ childhood, spent merging art with nature, inspired their latest wallpaper collection from Block Shop, their textile, art and design studio, which combines a breezy California aesthetic with Indian printing and weaving techniques. The seven new patterns, which are printed on paper, fiber and grass cloth, include a peony motif that’s a homage to the blooms their mother grew, while also referencing the Austrian Wiener Werkstätte designer Dagobert Peche. “We envisioned an Anne Bancroft-esque grande dame with a sky-high collection of art books, listening to ‘Madama Butterfly’while harvesting her beets,” says Stockman Hill, the CEO and creative director of the studio. “These are the wallpapers you find in her home.” The Block Shop store, which opened in Los Angeles’s Atwater Village neighborhood this past December, further extends the sisters’ canvas with a harmonious blend of color and texture. A bronze snail door handle greets you on the way in, while the shelves are brimming with Apuglian splatterware dishes, rare books on décor and semi-fine jewelry, as well as the brand’s signature textiles.
The Place Firenze, Italy, Reopens After An Exquisite Redesign
02.04.2024 - 11:39 / forbes.com
Under the ownership and personal care of the Babini Family and hotel General Manager Claudio Meli, THE PLACE Firenze, a beloved boutique hotel in Florence, Italy, has reopened after an extensive redesign by Luigi Fragola Architects.
The reimagined property encompasses 20 rooms and suites and a variety of common areas that will provide guests with the full flavor of the local Florentine community. Utilizing a blend of modern and historical design elements, steeped in the art of Italian hospitality, THE PLACE Firenze mirrors the ageless charm and excitement of Florence, ideal for discerning clientele and guests.
Accented by a soothing color scheme of greens and creams alongside tactile materials and custom furnishings, The Fireplace, Studiolo and Glass Yard serve as public spaces for guests to relax, dine and reflect, evoking a serene ambiance. Occupying center stage, the Glass Yard features a pitched atrium that conjures a greenhouse and provides an abundance of natural light in order to elevate the mood. Foliage compositions and wild plants are strategic in placement, set alongside works of Florentine artists. Tucked away, the Studiolo room pays homage to small artistic studios inspired by the modern “Studioli.”
Acclaimed Chef Asso Migliore creates culinary delights that are derived from the region’s rich, rustic gastronomy, each deeply rooted in Tuscan tradition. Using locally sourced ingredients and traditional Italian cooking techniques, menu highlights include the Il Filetto (filet of free range Calvana beef paired with mashed truffled potatoes and bok choy) and Il Pescato (fish of the day with potatoes, taggiasca olives, capers & tomatoes). The restaurant also offers a unique Flambé dining experience that features an eclectic four-course menu prepared tableside, providing a modern rendition of a storied hospitality tradition. A mixology program by Food & Beverage Manager Zaccaria Media complements each meal.
Central to the hotel's ethos and THE is its philanthropic foundation, a project dedicated to the protection, sustainment and promotion of centuries-old traditions of Italian creativity and artistic craftsmanship. Designed to keep these traditions alive, the property’s cultural programming allows guests, through a donation, to participate in exclusive on-site visits to artisanal practices that focus on various creative forms specific to the region including weaving, scagliola and goldsmithery. In partnership with LAO, a Florentine goldsmith school, young artisans participating in The Place of Wonders are eligible to receive support through scholarships, which directly assists in continuing local customs and traditions. The newest partner, Pampaloni, is a fourth-generation family-owned
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