First there was the red-eye to London. The customs and immigration line snaked around the terminal like a coiled serpent, lethargically moving in the early morning. Then there was the bumpy, stop-and-go rush hour ride into central London.
But the moment you walk into The Lanesborough hotel, your jaw dropped. The dull, harried modern world outside melted away. You were in a magical place filled with gilded carvings, cream and black marble, and shimmering silks and damasks.
Did you just go back in time to the glorious days when Britannia ruled the world? And were you about to be received by Her Majesty the Queen?
No … in fact, you had just walked into my first Alberto Pinto hotel.
Of course, once you’re in the room, you’d feel like taking it all home. But at some point, security would probably want to inquire why you’re trying to stuff the curtains and chairs into my carry-ons.
There’s got to be a better way to take a bit of Alberto Pinto’s amazingly over-the-top creations home … and luckily, there is. Through his collaboration with Raynaud prior to his death in 2012, Alberto Pinto designed a line of handpainted dinnerware that is very evocative of his interiors. In each instance, his celebrated love of travel, color, and pattern all come through.
The Lanesborough hotel in London – it’s grand, cozy, and filled with flowers everywhere …
Belles Saisons would be perfect for afternoon tea at the hotel.
In Monaco, he enveloped a duplex with white walls and neutral wood accents, and then filled it with art:
Can you see Renouveau Russe there? It’s so beautiful, you could hang it on the wall.
In Switzerland, something a little more refined …
So we pair it with the exquisite Magnolia collection:
For a breathtaking home in Kuwait:
For this, you need something exquisitely detailed, like Or des Airs:
And for an apartment that’s done up in neutral creams and beiges:
Champignons is both sophisticated and masculine.
Like these? There is a series of good books about Alberto Pinto and his work, such as
- Alberto Pinto: Signature Interiors
- Alberto Pinto: Moderns
- Alberto Pinto: Classics
- Alberto Pinto Today
- Alberto Pinto: Table Settings
- Alberto Pinto: Bedrooms
- Alberto Pinto Orientalism
- Alberto Pinto: World Interiors
- Alberto Pinto Corporate: Contemporary Offices
You can also see our entire Alberto Pinto handpainted dinnerware collection here. Each piece is made to order (so there will be a long wait), but it’s worth it.
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