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Paola Navone

ph. Giovanni Gastel

She is straightforward, a dreamer and eclectic: she embraces the flavours and colours of the South of the world – renowned, loved and experienced – along with the taste and shapes of the West, which is steeped in tradition, open and dynamic. Hence her relentless curiosity and pursuit of materials, shapes and structures of the present, past and future. She is an architect, designer, art director and interior designer. She works with leading brands in the design industry, such as Alessi, Baxter, Bisazza, Cappellini, NLXL, Swatch and Gervasoni, a company for which she is creative director since 1998.

A great traveller, Paola Navone likes to define her style with a Thai word, “tham ma da”, which means “every day”. In fact, her creativity comes from everyday life, from apparently trivial objects, which when put together become something extraordinary.

 

“The designer’s job”, she explains, “is to select and choose elements from what surrounds us, creating a dialogue between them.”

Milan, Tortona district, Paola Navone’s house, ph. Enrico Conti

A great traveller, Paola Navone likes to define her style with a Thai word, “tham ma da”, which means “every day”. In fact, her creativity comes from everyday life, from apparently trivial objects, which when put together become something extraordinary.

 

“The designer’s job”, she explains, “is to select and choose elements from what surrounds us, creating a dialogue between them.”

Serifos, Greece, Paola Navone’s house, ph. Enrico Conti

Gervasoni, Showroom, via Durini 7, Milan, ph. Francesca Iovine

Paola Navone’s works range from chairs to luxury hotels, from installations to interior design.

 

In 1983 she won the International Design Award in Osaka, in 2000 she was Designer of the Year for the German magazine Architektur & Wohnen and, in 2011, she won the Elle Deco International Design Awards (EDIDA) for two projects. In 2014 she was appointed by Interior Design Magazine as a member of the prestigious Hall of Fame of Design. In 2018 she won the third Elle Deco International Design Awards in the outdoor furniture category.

 

“Every project”, claims the designer, “is a new adventure and a new challenge.”

Gervasoni, Brass 96, suspension lamp

Always at the customer’s service, design, for Paola Navone, is a bit like offering a good omelette.

 

“No need to be stubborn, it’s important for me to give customers an omelette they like”, she explains. “If they don’t like porcini mushrooms, I’ll make it with courgettes.”

Point Yamu Hotel, Phuket, ph. Enrico Conti

Always at the customer’s service, design, for Paola Navone, is a bit like offering a good omelette.

 

“No need to be stubborn, it’s important for me to give customers an omelette they like”, she explains. “If they don’t like porcini mushrooms, I’ll make it with courgettes.”

Point Yamu Hotel, Phuket, ph. Enrico Conti

Baxter, Salone del Mobile 2012, ph. Enrico Conti

Stylised figures of fish often appear in the works of Paola Navone and a fish is also the symbol of her studio.

 

“It’s my zodiac sign”, explains the designer. “I love fish because they follow the current, they are free animals, difficult to catch. A bit like me.”

NLXL, Addiction, wallpaper

Discover the project of Paola Navone

Paola Navone designed for the MCZ brand Sahara, a cladding for front fireplaces made of glazed terracotta zellige tiles.

‘Zellije is an unconventional, delicate and decorative material, which we are particularly fond of’, Paola Navone explains. ‘The iridescent hues of the glazed surface, reveal the poetic and somewhat flawed beauty of handmade objects.’