A treasure trove on the shores of Lake Lugano

The Edelweiss London international interior design studio has redesigned the soul of a villa that is reflected in the clear waters of Lake Lugano, transforming it into a modern house of wonders in which nothing has been left to chance. This treasure trove preserves the culture of beauty in all its forms: precious materials, fine workmanship, magnificent combinations of colors and sophisticated details.

We are proud to have been chosen to dress the rooms with the elegance of Edelweiss London, creating unique bespoke pieces with a multifaceted aesthetic identity.

A cultured elegance with classical ventures into environments provided with every technological comfort.

To see more details, please get in touch with the team

WARM, CHARMING ENVIRONMENTS

The artistic inlaid floors interact beautifully with the fabrics, made using original 18th century looms for the wonder and pleasure of our maître tapissier.

Damasks, brocatelles and satins are cut, reassembled and applied onto lightweight honeycomb panels designed for invisible anchoring to the wall.

Each support was covered with a double layer of plush cloth before the decorative fabric was applied, and the back side was also covered with fabric.

This ingenious system was created partly in the workshop and partly on-site, and is designed for a rational management of regular maintenance and any necessary repair work.

The pairing with the masterfully carved wainscoting in various types of marble, including Calacatta, Rosso Lepanto and Rosa Pernice, creates an immediate and perfect symmetry between opposing materials.

Lake Lugano (Switzerland)

AN ART GALLERY

Lake-Lugano-Palazzo-Morelli-Edelweiss-detail

Lake-Lugano-Palazzo-Morelli-Edelweiss-entrance-detail

The frames that finish, enhance and complete the wall decoration also bear our name.

The frames were made to Edelweiss London design through the creating of special molds for the wood putty decorations to be applied to the tulipwood moldings. In all, three decorative types were created, with linear pieces and special corner pieces with a 45-degree cut to maintain a consistent aesthetic style along the entire perimeter.

The gilding process is the same as that used by master framers to create or restore frames for old art masterpieces.

This involves first the application of a base layer of gesso and glue, followed by gouache gilding and antiquing with shellac.

Given the nearness of the lake and the influence of its microclimate, a protective product was first applied, and then the frames were attached using the classic fastening with nails; however, the nails cannot be seen because each hole was puttied and covered with the same finish.

To see more details, please get in touch with the team

On the basis of our strong reputation in the making of customized parquet floors and the use of precious woods, we were also commissioned to make and install custom-made solid wood doors.

Made from selected Italian walnut, the doors are embellished with embossed and hand-carved decorations in the same type of wood.
The dark and slightly opaque finish enhances the design and the antique-finish brass handles, which were custom cast in a foundry with a personalized design. The frame and intrados for each door were created with the same finish.

An important process and an even more complex installation, with a finish of exceptional aesthetic and technical quality, in keeping with the duality between the lake and the treasure trove that is the stylistic signature of the project.

THE ARTISTIC STAIRCASE

Before leaving the villa, we take a last look at the balustrade of the main staircase in Portoro and Giallo Siena marble, a work of which were are especially proud. Forged entirely by hand, the balustrade was made in just 60 days by working square section wrought iron. It was given a wax-based protective finish and brightened with the application of leaves that were also made, gilded and antiqued by hand.

This creation concentrates the essence of our work: stylistic and technical consultation on the feasibility of decorative motifs, the search for special finishes, the millimetric precision of a hard-edged design, the making of samples to achieve the right balance of positive and negative space, decorations and light, the work carried out partly at the workshop and partly in a mobile workshop for an installation done in a masterly fashion, from one flight to the next, over marble stairs of rare beauty and in a practically completed site.

Lake-Lugano-Palazzo-Morelli-Edelweiss-balustrade-bootom-up

The main staircase with its period balustrade is a decidedly sophisticated declaration of elegance, achieving an incomparable luminosity, thanks to the many openings that reveal the lake and the artistic windows that create a play of light that changes with the movement of the sun.