MY FAVOURITE THINGS

Photo - Kris Micallef

LIFESTYLE My Favourite Things

Decorator, writer, editor, curator: there’s little Michele Tufigno doesn’t dabble in, and pretty successfully at that. After practicing law for nine years, he quit to set up Studio Tufigno, a creative consultancy firm that is quietly carving a niche for itself in the field of bespoke and meticulously researched interiors. Dominated by a refreshing use of colour and a refusal of the mundane, his eclectic and cosmopolitan style graces private residences and members’ clubs with unabashed glamour and a dash of uncomplicated patrician elegance.

We’ve asked Michele to share some of his favourite things, spanning from the obscure to the decidedly popular; here’s his cream of the crop.

Film

I confess: I still buy DVDs. There’s nothing quite like the psychological comfort of knowing that you can whip your favourite film out of a little box and watch it whenever you please, and no one will convince me otherwise. I’ve always been fascinated by classic Hollywood: the stars, the costumes, the music, the gargantuan sets and that Mid-Atlantic accent which is so artificial yet oddly comforting. Watch ‘Auntie Mame’, ‘Ziegfeld Girl’, ‘The Ten Commandments’ and anything with Elizabeth Taylor or Anna Magnani in it.

I first watched ‘Farewell my Concubine’ aged 10 with my grandmother; it’s beautifully shot, incredibly deep and very, very inappropriate for an impressionable child. Nothing beats binge watching ‘Downton Abbey’ or ‘Call my Agent’ when I’m tired. And ‘The Goonies’; I love ‘The Goonies’.

Scent

I’ve been told I tend to smell like a cross between a church and a Turkish bath, and I quite like it that way. I’ve been wearing Chanel’s ‘Égoïste’ on and off for close to 18 years now, but I often like to venture into new, though comfortingly familiar, territory. Penhaligon’s ‘Halfeti

Leather’ and its beautiful bottle is a new favourite [penhaligons.com], as is the ‘Oud’ by Acqua di Parma [camilleriparismode.com]. Give them a try instead of the usual citrus-based scent; they smell divine in the Maltese heat and we’re closer to Cairo than to Copenhagen anyway.

Books

What with Malta being a relative book desert, I have to find mine online or whenever I’m abroad. I tend to buy few clothes, but there’s always space for books in my suitcases and I can always temporarily colonise a friend’s till we land safely in Luqa. Read Evelyn Waugh’s ‘Brideshead Revisited’, ‘À Rebours’ by Joris-Karl Huysmans and ‘I Leoni di Sicilia’ and ‘L’Inverno dei Leoni’, the first two instalments in the Florio Saga by Stefania Auci. I can’t wait to receive Guido Taroni’s latest photographic adventure, ‘Safari Style’ [vendomepress.com]: his spectacular work is regularly featured in Cabana Magazine too [cabanamagazine.com]. Subscribe; you’ll thank me later.

City

Venice, Venice, Venice! Romantically decrepit and triumph of East-meets-West crowned by some exuberant baroque for good measure, Venice has been my favourite city since I first visited with my mother as a little boy. Have breakfast at Caffe` Florian [caffeflorian.com], visit the breath-taking marbles at the Domus Grimani [venetianheritage.eu] and marvel at the Byzantine splendour of Saint Mark’s Basilica. The jewels and objets at Codognato [attiliocodognato.it] are sumptuously exotic, and nothing beats drinks on the Bauer’s terrace overlooking the Grand Canal [bauervenezia.com]. Order a Campari Spritz with Daniele, the legendary waiter, and finish your evening off with a cheeky Tiramisu` before heading to bed. Be warned: the kitchen closes at 11.

Candles and Soap

I like my houses to smell like I do: Summers smell of jasmine or ripe fig, while Cire Trudon’s ‘Spiritus Sancti’ and their ‘Ernesto’ candles are marvellous for colder weather [camilleriparismode.com]. Light them up in strategic positions: the hall, the landing, the sitting room, the loo, but never the kitchen. A favourite trick of mine is to pour a few drops of essential oils over lightbulbs; their heat acts as a natural, discrete diffuser without overwhelming a room or your guests.

I’m obsessed with soap, my favourite being the classic Palestinian Nablus bars, though any good olive oil soap will do. I’ve recently also discovered the Portuguese Galo soaps perfumed with thyme and orange; they’re not available in Malta so pack some the next time you’re Lisbon or get a friend to bring you a few bars on their way back home. Where do I begin? My taste in music ranges from the classical to the embarrassing, which is why I never offer my playlists at parties. I’m still obsessed with Jessie Ware’s ‘What’s Your Pleasure?’ (watch the video) and Miley Cyrus’ ‘Edge of Midnight’ duet with Stevie Nicks, and I love anything by Yelle, Patty Pravo or Natacha Atlas. Mete Aslan’s Ottoman Ud music often accompanies my calmer evenings; listen to Tanerélle’s masterpiece ‘Mama Saturn’s Galactica’ if you’re feeling a little moody and want to revel in it, or go for anything by Kylie Minogue or Cher to cheer yourself up. I told you, it’s a little embarrassing.

Music

Shoes

I spend my summers in Birkenstocks (never leather; only suede) and velvet Friulane, originally worn by Venetian gondoliers and now my favourite summer shoes. Pick them in jewel colours at Parutto’s [calzatureparutto.it], just off the Rialto Bridge or in updated versions by the Arrivabene sisters at ViBi Venezia [vibivenezia.it]. With our winters being so frustratingly warm and dry, I tend to stick to suede shoes unless it’s a wedding (I blame the 90s): desert boots in navy blue or dark brown for my daily site visits and gorgeous Brera loafers by Edhèn Milano [edhenmilano.com] in whichever colour takes my fancy. Invest in a good pair of classic American loafers too: Cole Haan make amazing ones and they’re very John Kennedy.  @studiotufigno