This is not a time to be cautious in interior design – rather, it’s a moment to be brave, to decorate with confidence. Pattern is back, and the rulebook as to how it should be used is being rewritten. In the living room of this Lake Como home, huge indigo dhurries clash raucously with the midnight green velvet sofa and the curtains’ bold, oversized stripes.
Upstairs, the loft – which homeowner and co-owner of textile firm Dedar, Caterina Fabrizio has dubbed the ‘Winter Garden’ – is covered entirely, all walls and ceiling, in the ‘Jardin d’Osier’ jungle-print wallpaper designed by Pierre Marie for Hermès, the French fashion brand with which Dedar has been collaborating since 2011.
Downstairs in the bedroom, straw matting contrasts with pink and yellow silk drapes. ‘For me, the layering of fabrics and patterns is a freeing process,’ explains Caterina. ‘I love to play around with materials. Piece by piece, I add one thing on top of another.’ Mementoes, artworks and items picked up on her travels are displayed with tasteful abandon. It’s a look that’s all about fun and creating a space that feels welcoming.
This 1950s townhouse was once a stark, all-white space, but Caterina has breathed new life into her home, which now pulsates with print. Located on the hill of Brunate, overlooking the 16th-century Villa d’Este – formerly a royal residence and now a luxury hotel – on the other side of the lake, this four-bedroom property is home to Caterina and her two teenage sons.
It was with the help of her brother and co-owner of Dedar, Raffaele, who trained as an architect, that Caterina updated this impressive home. Together, they opened up the three-storey interior to create a versatile yet intimate space. ‘There are only a few rooms in the house. I wanted an open-plan layout within which you could move things around easily,’ explains Caterina.
Once the structural changes were made, Caterina began adding Modernist influences and global finds. In the main living area, she has created a nomadic feel – luxurious textiles, artworks by American painter Cy Twombly and Indian rugs are given a contemporary feel by the monochrome striped curtains.
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‘It has the spirit of a holiday house,’ says Caterina, speaking of the home’s breezy style and mix of international influences. As for the jungle wallpaper that covers the walls and ceiling in the loft? ‘I wanted to feel as though I were surrounded by a garden,’ Caterina explains.
The space is joyful without being childish, the effect of the intense pattern toned down with calming white linen on the sofa and cane chairs by Joe Colombo. ‘To me, this room was the perfect excuse to use a bold pattern,’ concludes Caterina. ‘If you fall in love with a product, you can always find a way to make it work.’ dedar.com
This story originally appeared in the August 2018 issue of ELLE Decoration
