The Bulgari Bar at the Bulgari Hotel Rome.
Photo: Bulgari
The Artful Life: 5 Things Galerie Editors Love This Week
From the opening of the lavish Bulgari Hotel in Rome to the new Apparatus gallery space in London
WOW!house 2023 Alexander Lamont + Miles + Lauren Hwang New York Day room by Timothy Mather Design. Photo: James McDonald Photography
Colony by Casa Luiza primary bedroom inside the WOW!house 2023. Photo: James McDonald Photography
1. WOW!house 2023 Show House Opens in London
Designers on both sides of the Atlantic have come together to create enchanting living spaces inside this year’s WOW!house, a designer showcase hosted within the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour in London, open through July 6. While U.K. architectural firm Mamou-Mani fabricated the space’s multidimensional facade, 18 creatives conjured tailored interiors such as the transportive entryway Mark D. Sikes conceived with scenic wallpaper studio Iksel, or the cinematic dining room curated by Joy Moyler. Art and exceptional design punctuate a number of spaces, including the primary bedroom that Natalia Miyar composed in collaboration with Colony by Casa Luiza, which featured artworks by Latin American talents Hernan Bas, Reinaldo Sanguino, Julio Larraz, and more from Miyar’s personal holdings. For his Jazz Age-inspired salon, London firm principal Timothy Mather combined artisan furnishings by Alexander Lamont and Lauren Hwang textiles to craft a sophisticated and seductive atmosphere. Adding to the immersive experience is an instrumental soundtrack by Guyanese-American harpsichordist Leslie Kwan and a custom scent for each room by British candlemakers Wick & Tallow. And while the captivating scenery alone is worth the trip, WOW!house also serves as an important fundraiser for TP Caring Spaces, a charity founded by Turner Pocock principals Bunny Turner and Emma Pocock that elevates utilitarian spaces, such as a hospital staff room, cancer center family gathering spot, and caregivers overnight accommodation, with high design, furthering a sense of rejuvenation to helpers in need.—Jill Sieracki
La Terrazza at the new Bulgari Hotel Roma. Photo: Bulgari
2. Bulgari Hotels Debuts First Property in Rome
One look and it’s clear that no expense was spared when creating the glamorous Bulgari Hotel Roma, the latest property in Bulgari’s international hospitality portfolio. Occupying a six-story Rationalist landmark originally designed by Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo, the 114-key getaway has undergone a painstaking renovation overseen by Milan design firm ACPV Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel in collaboration with architect Gennaro Farina and landscape design studio P’Arcnouveau. Among the dramatic updates are marble-paved foyer decorated with Barovier & Toso Murano chandeliers, a rooftop terrace with more than 4,500 plants, five dining destinations spearheaded by Michelin-starred chef Niko Romito, a sprawling spa inspired by the Roman baths, and the 3,200-square-foot Bulgari Suite that goes for €38,000 per night. On hand to fête the recent opening were Bulgari brand ambassadors Zendaya and Priyanka Chopra Jonas—who were greeted in the lobby, like all guests, by a marble bust of Octavian Augustus, the Eternal City’s first true great emperor. —Geoffrey Montes
Photo: Courtesy of the artist and MACK
Photo: Courtesy of the artist and MACK
3. MACK Releases A New Monograph of Francesca Woodman’s Artist Books
Newly represented by powerhouse gallery Gagosian, the late Francesca Woodman is in the spotlight thanks to the gallery’s partnership with the Woodman Family Foundation, established by the artist’s parents in 2020, which includes an extensive collection of Woodman’s influential prints and artist’s books. Every page of all eight artist books is now compiled into a monograph published by MACK. Featuring two unseen books, the tome delves into the mysterious world of the American artist, who’s first photographs were taken at the age of 13. Francesca Woodman: The Artist’s Books gives readers a comprehensive look into the groundbreaking photographer’s evocative narrative, bringing old 19th- and early-20th-century journals and notebooks new life by adding her prints, transparencies, and notes to the pages of tattered and forgotten books. —Stefanie Li
Main gallery space at Apparatus London. Photo: Matthew Placek
4. Apparatus Unveils First Gallery Space in London
Having locations in both Los Angeles and New York City, design studio Apparatus has unveiled its latest gallery across the pond—its very first in Britain. Located in London’s chic Mayfair neighborhood, the two-story space offers guests an immersive experience through dramatic architecture and design. In the street-level main gallery, stunning Italian Calacatta Classico marble sheaths the walls and floors, while some of the brand’s most notable designs, including the Segment dining table as well as the Reprise and Horsehair light pendants, fill the space. An arresting staircase clad in burl panels with a textural suede balustrade leads to the lower floor, where an expansive sofa is completely surrounded by bronze mirror surfaces to let visitors browse the company’s library of materials in an elevated manner. —Shelby Black
Dior necklace. Photo: Courtesy of Dior
Dior earrings. Photo: Courtesy of Dior
5. Dior Presents New High Jewelry Collection Inspired by the Beauty of Gardens
The theme of gardens has always held a special place in Christian Dior’s heart. Now, Dior’s legendary jewelry designer Victoire de Castellan pays tribute to the beauty of nature with a dazzling high-jewelry collection titled Les Jardins de la Couture. This new chapter is told through 170 exceptional pieces, including a trio of secret watches. The first, Galons Fleuris, reveals a series of bucolic motifs on necklaces, earrings and bracelets evoking precious ribbons. Très Cher Dior, meanwhile, features relief-set jewels. An ode to lush vegetation, the Buissons Couture creations are studded with flowers, constructed stone by stone. And the final stop on this enchanted journey, Mini Milly pays homage to Christian Dior’s garden at Milly-la-Forêt. —Lucy Rees
Cover: The Bulgari Bar at the Bulgari Hotel Rome.
Photo: Bulgari
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