The Work of Paolo Genta

When I'm in San Francisco, I oftentimes visit Smoke Signals, one of the best newsstands that I've ever seen. (I learned about it from Diane Dorrans Saeks.) Perusing their shelves of international newspapers and magazines is like taking a brief trip around the world. How I wish that Atlanta had something similar. The newsstand at my local Barnes & Noble just doesn't cut it in terms of international shelter magazines. If I lived near Smoke Signals, not only would I spend a fortune on foreign magazines, but I would also be much more familiar with the work of interior designers based in Italy, Spain, South Africa, and other countries far and wide.

While hopping around the internet recently, I discovered the work of Italian designer Paolo Genta of Studio Genta. Some (or perhaps many) of you are probably familiar with his work. I was not. Unfortunately, I can't glean much information about Genta from his website. However, a lengthy bio really isn't necessary after taking a look through his online portfolio of projects. His interiors are really quite stunning thanks to rich color, sumptuous fabrics, and serious furniture. It's a layered, rich look, one that I liken to a boeuf bourguignon or a pot au feu (or whatever the equivalent is in Italian cuisine.) All of the elements in the rooms seem to meld together to create a look that is hearty and flavorful.

I'm showing one of my favorite projects here, but there are many others on his website that are equally as striking. To visit Genta's website, click here.

















All photos from the website of Studio Genta.