Maison Ë in Conversation
with Dimorestudio

Maison Ë Let’s start at the beginning. How did you and Emiliano first meet, and how did you come to launch Dimorestudio together?

Britt Moran Emiliano and I met around the year 2000 through mutual friends. We had so many common interests and we saw that there was a real synergy, an understanding about things. We still have that very much even today. I don’t think there was ever really the plan that Dimore would turn into what it has become. It’s something that has evolved very organically.

M.Ë What kinds of projects did you start out doing? And was there one project that really catapulted you as a studio to the position you are in now?

B.M. In the beginning, in the mid-2000s, we started out doing window displays for companies. That work really grew, especially when we started doing Design Week here in Milan. We began doing more experimental installations and shows, which a lot of people would come to. That has now grown to the point where there are a lot of expectations around what we do for Design Week each year.

Then—if we’re going to talk about one project—we were very lucky that we were able to collaborate on the Grand Hotel. It’s the most historical hotel here in Milan and was once the house where Giuseppe Verdi wrote many of his operas and lived out his life. That project really helped us, in terms of working in a historical setting but bringing it up to date in a more contemporary way.

We also did a really fantastic collaboration with Thierry Costes and the Costes family in Paris. It was a restaurant just along the Champs-Élysées and it was amazing working with him, just because of the knowledge we were able to gain from him. Those are probably the two biggest projects near the beginning that really put our name out there.

M.Ë You mentioned that you and Emiliano immediately realized you shared common interests and values. Can you talk me through what you see as the design principles that underpin your work? What is at the heart of the studio’s design ethos?

B.M. We really try to highlight the design aesthetics of historical pieces, especially Italian design and French design from the 1930s to the 1970s, but reinterpreted in a more contemporary way. That’s what we’ve always done, that’s what sets us apart, and it’s what people expect from us as well. I think we created an aesthetic that wasn’t there or perhaps reinterpreted an old aesthetic in terms of interior decoration and interior design, and made it more contemporary. We also very much create atmospheres. That’s probably what sets us apart from other interior design studios. It’s not just about matching fabrics and colors. There’s very much always a storyline that we follow when it comes to creating spaces.

M.Ë Over the years, Dimore has morphed into new facets—alongside the studio, there’s also a design gallery, a furniture brand, and a range of different collaborations. Can you talk us through how you and Emiliano balance your time across all of these different strands?

B.M. In the run-up to and during Design Week, we’re completely dedicated to the furniture production side. For months leading up to that, we’re working on new collections and updating the past collections. We obviously have people who help us in terms of the sales of the products and distribution, but we’re very much involved—you have to continue working to create the energy around communication and marketing. Outside of that, we should be dividing our time roughly equally across everything, otherwise one of the areas tends to suffer.

M.Ë Now let’s look more closely at the Latitude 43 project, the building in Saint-Tropez where you designed two apartments. First of all, huge congratulations, because they’re absolutely beautiful. How did the project come about?

B.M. We were contacted by the client. He came to visit the studio, we had a chat, we visited the space, then we met the wider family and had a conversation with them. The idea was to create a vacation home for them, so that was our brief.

M.Ë What was your first impression of the space when you first saw it?

B.M. The space is amazing. The building itself—the architecture—is very beautiful. It’s an incredible example of Bauhaus architecture. Where it’s positioned as well, it’s just outside the center of Saint-Tropez and has an amazing garden surrounding it. Another really interesting thing about the space is that it has beautiful windows, and the views are incredible. So we already knew that we wanted to play upon the bones of the building.

M.Ë In what ways did you design the spaces to take advantage of the building’s location and those views outside the windows?

B.M. The entranceway has a very long corridor with a long set of windows. There’s also a beautiful set of windows overlooking the seaside, and the windows are very low, so I think even the architect who designed the space had it in mind that you would be seated in certain areas to take advantage of the view. We used all of the elements that were there to play on the interior design. Where there were certain windows with a low placement, we put a desk or a certain seating arrangement there.

M.Ë Obviously the historical nature of the building presented a lot of creative opportunities for you and the team, but did it also bring with it certain challenges?

B.M. Yes, there were some challenges with the space itself, because the architecture was very definitive. There were certain areas that we weren’t able to do a lot with, in terms of room changes or changes to distribution. And then you combine this with the size of the family, which meant it was difficult to carve out a lot of space for everyone. You just have to divide up the space and be very clear with the client about the challenge. We were also lucky in a sense, because it’s a vacation home, so it’s much more relaxed in terms of closet size and things like that, so that allows you a little bit more wiggle room.

M.Ë You and Emiliano have spoken in the past about how you draw inspiration from a range of historical sources. I’m guessing this project was no different. Can you talk us through which references you went to for this project and how they ended up influencing the final design?

B.M. We always look to the design masters for any detailing, use of color, use of materials, placement—even how you divide a space. It’s also always very inspiring for us even to see how things were made. For a space like this, everything was built in, because of the size—you really had to take advantage of the limited amount of space. With new builds, you create to what a modern family is, whereas with this building, we had to very much look to other sources that were of the same period. And a lot of the time, how things were done in the past might be better than how things are done now.

M.Ë You mentioned that you had to go back to sources from the same period. Can you talk us through what that inspiration and research process looks like for you at Dimore? Are you poring over books or are you taking trips to visit Bauhaus-era properties?

B.M. We do a lot of reference through books because that’s an easy way to approach the project. If it happens that we’re out and about and the opportunity comes up, we’ll also visit a property. But obviously, we don’t draw inspiration directly from all of these. Inspiration comes from a lot of different things—it might even be something you see in the cinema. That’s maybe one of the mysteries and the magic of what we do—a lot of the inspiration comes from unexpected places, and we have a unique interpretation of that inspiration.

M.Ë Taking inspiration from history is always a balance, though, isn’t it? If you’re not careful, the end result can look like a kind of pastiche of 20th-century design or Bauhaus. How do you at Dimorestudio find that balance between heritage and a more contemporary feel?

B.M. I think this is really one of the talents that belongs to Emiliano. He has a really vast knowledge of historical design pieces and design pieces in general. He’s our secret weapon here, in terms of putting together the final look. It’s always about proportion and the mix and the layering. That’s the real talent that he has.

M.Ë It’s less a formula and more of a sensibility?

B.M. Yeah. And I think a lot of people take inspiration from what we do. Whenever people are inspired by certain spaces, but they don’t have the same sensibility, it’s more like trying to do an exact replica of the space. I think you feel that a little bit. Whenever people try to imitate our style or our design, you do feel that there’s something missing. And that’s maybe the special touch that Emiliano has—in terms of the proportions of the space against the proportions of the furniture, and the mix of materials. Also, knowing when to stop adding things or when to take away that one last object because maybe it’s too much. That’s the real talent that he possesses.

M.Ë For this project, you incorporated a lot of nautical and marine elements and motifs, from the color palette to the materials. Which design decisions did that influence most?

B.M. We’re in a seaside area, so we wanted to make sure the materials and the colors were very fresh and summery and bright. And also, because of the size of the spaces, you have to stay quite light in terms of the palette. Given the client is mainly going to be there during the summer, that also dictated a lot of the material and color choices. For instance, in some areas, we used sisal instead of carpet; we also used wood of a specific lighter shade on the tables and built-ins.

M.Ë Dimorestudio obviously works with clients who are looking for something very particular—thoughtful design, with considered use of materials and colors. When you think about your clients, how do you feel that their tastes are changing? What is the upper end of the market now looking for that they perhaps weren’t five or 10 years ago?

B.M. People have become much more aware of the importance of using historical design pieces within their homes. It used to be more focused on the art market—everyone was keen on placing certain art pieces or collecting art. Most of our clients now are very keen on putting together a design collection. The majority of our clients still have huge art collections and enjoy collecting art, but I think their taste and their interest have also turned towards creating a design collection. This is probably thanks to the trade fairs that happen alongside the art fairs. A lot of people have begun to realize that there are certain products that, historically speaking, add to the project in terms of patina and creating a certain mood and atmosphere.

M.Ë That sounds like a good thing for the market generally.

B.M. Of course, I only have our client base to go from. We’ve always tried to convince our clients to create homes with a lot of layering, through pieces that are either site-specific, designed for that home, or historical pieces. I recently visited Fendi’s flagship store in London, on Sloane Street. That project is probably seven or eight years old now. I was looking at the pieces of furniture that we had curated for them, and they have an amazing collection of things that have become very difficult to find now. Nowadays, good, historical, unique design pieces aren’t easy to find. It’s become more and more difficult because people have become more aware. Unfortunately, there are some people who don’t understand or appreciate the value, and perhaps just throw them out. Not everyone understands the patina of historical pieces; some people still want everything to be new. But that’s not really our clients.

M.Ë Has that growth in the awareness of the importance of design made your jobs any easier, in terms of convincing clients to push for that little bit of extra layering, as you describe it?

B.M. I don’t know if it’s made our jobs easier because we always try to challenge our clients and push them. So if something has become mainstream in terms of design or pieces to use in homes, we tend not to use them anymore. It’s about pushing them towards something new that is not a trend. We’re known to challenge our clients. The people who come to us are the clients who want to be challenged, who are looking for something completely new. Perhaps they’re tired of what the market is offering at the moment. Because oftentimes, trends become the standard and then everyone uses them, and it becomes the look and feel across the board. That’s not us. Once that starts happening, we’re trying to be four or five paces ahead.

M.Ë Lastly, can you tell our readers what you’re currently working on? Is there anything coming up that we can look forward to?

B.M. We’re working on a hotel project. I won’t say anything yet because we’re still in the very beginning stages and I’m a little bit superstitious. All I’ll say is that it’s a new-build hotel in Greece and that it’s set to open in 2028. They haven’t even broken ground yet, so it’s still very embryonic. Otherwise, we’ve just finished a house in London for an amazing client; we’re also working on a house for them in the south of France. There are a lot of residential and hospitality projects that we’re negotiating at the moment. Unfortunately, luxury retail is going through a bit of a low spot at the moment, so I think people are investing their energy and time in hospitality. So that’s where we’re working the most at the moment.