Cristina Hadzi Interiors

One could argue that this is simply a large bed….

Valentino Fall Winter 2012

I had been searching online for good interior images of the baroque Palazzo Valguarnera Gangi in Sicily, specifically the Galleria Degli Specchi (Hall of Mirrors). Lo and behold, every chic magazine is running dreamily opulent and gorgeous advertisements shot in that very ballroom.  Valentino’s Fall/Winter 2012 campaign has artfully re-created the era of Sicilian royalty lounging in all their finery.  One could argue that this is simply a large bed but I choose to see it as a luxurious and over scaled ottoman, probably the largest ever!

You may recognize the highly decorated interiors from the extraordinary ballroom sequence in  “The Leopard”,  Luchino Visconti’s celebrated 1963 film whose mood, colors, and sweeping imagery have been a huge inspiration in my work.  Looking at this photograph I like to think the models are waiting for Alain Delon to ask them to dance…

I love a beautiful and generously proportioned ottoman; often it can replace the ubiquitous coffee table.  An ottoman can be so cozy and inviting, a resting place for weary feet, additional seating at a party. Add an interesting tray and it’s a coffee table!  If needed, it provides additional storage: once I designed an oval shaped one with a top that flipped open and stored a cashmere blanket for chilly winter nights.

Photography: Cristina Hadzi

Here is a detail shot of one of the more flamboyant ottomans I’ve designed – it’s like a yummy giant cupcake!  Love that rug too. When it was delivered, the clients’ daughter immediately sprawled on it and rolled across the room.  I had a quiet moment of satisfaction knowing this household would not be treating the furnishings as it they were museum treasures.