N° 03 YEAR 2013
news
Focus M_Onoliti
tell us if we came close
When design comes from craftsmanship
meeting with Ilenia Indaco and the Magma Collection
M_Onoliti Collection the spectrum
Grandma’s marketing
management, the Web and creativity: did Grandma do it?
Mad 051
renovating is simple
The rooftop corner Real Life Experiences
MAY 2013
the hillside home
www.mesons.it
Customer Service T 0434 614900 mesons@mesons.it www.mesons.it
Praise for the unique M_ONOLITI
MESON’S
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Creativity, brilliance and the tension towards beauty therefore become possible solutions and no longer an “optional decoration.
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DOOMED to EXCELLENCE “Beauty will save the world,” Prince Miškin maintained in Dostoevskij’s “The Idiot”. Adding myself to the multitude of colors that in past years has been used and abused by other people’s intuitions, I am going to add my opinion that represents a real opportunity in a difficult moment. The beauty to which I am referring is not the result of an aesthetic notion but rather of a resource. Continually more limited resources lead us to draw from a kiss of knowledge, ability
and sensibility that the favorable conditions in which we have operated some time ago soothed. Creativity, brilliance and the tension towards beauty therefore become possible solutions and no longer an “optional decoration”. This issue creates spaces and gives a voice to some initiatives, not only ours, that we believe are going in this direction. As always, this magazine, our social platforms and all of us here at Meson’s are more than delighted to host your opinions and criticisms. Enjoy the read. Stefano Basso, Sales and Marketing Director stefano.basso@mesons.it
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Managing Director: Stefano Basso Artistic Director: Regìa Managing Editor: Valentina Olivieri Art Director: Regìa Editor: Meson’s Cucine srl Secretary: mesons@mesons.it Exclusive distribution through authorized Meson’s retailers
MESON’S
MESON’S
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SUMMARY
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FOCUS M_ONOLITI
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modernizing is simple
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tell us if we came close
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WHEN DESIGN COMES FROM CRAFTSMANSHIP
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GRANDMA’S MARKETING
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M_26 COLLECTION the spectrum
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THE ROOFTOP CORNER
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THE PSYCHOLOGY OF EVERYDAY THINGS
the spectrum
management, the Web and creativity: Did Grandma do it?
V_ETRONICA COLLECTION
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tips for Irrational Shopping
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K_SYSTEM COLLECTION the spectrum
A SUPER MIDDAY SNACK REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES the hillside home
the spectrum
meeting with Ilenia Indaco and the Magma Collection
M_ONOLITI COLLECTION
MAD 051
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DETAILS THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
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MY WAY
new design tricks
our culinary section
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MESON’S
Tell us if we came close! While I was writing this text, only a few days had passed since the release of the new K_System catalogue with our new “project system” revisited and updated in the finishes, colors and mechanical components (slow closure hinges and much more). Your immediate and hearty approval pushed us to accelerate the already intense rhythm of the introduction of our new products onto the market. For this reason, without too much hesitation, we began our photo shoot of the new M_Onoliti project with which we want to tackle the thorny topic of accessibility to excellence. Walter (the dean of our engineers), Franco (our prototype wizard), Fausto (the man that transformed our creative delirium into production) and all of the other components of the team squeezed all of their creative energy without holding back, changing direction and solutions innumerable times without ever loosing sight of the final goal: make design more accessible by means of innovation and creativity. In the middle of April we will be bringing a voluminous catalogue to the press in which we will emphasize the idea that high-end does not necessarily mean high price. We aren’t talking about a deviation towards cheap, which has been so in style lately, but deeply and enthusiastically researching ways to bring top performance products that have only been seen previously in high-end kitchens. Take a look at the following pages and soon at the entire catalogue available on Issuu (http://issuu.com/meson_s) or at one of our retailers, and tell us if we came close! Stefano Basso stefano.basso@mesons.it
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Frontals in white opaque lacquer and work surface in Diamond laminate.
Meson’s
Why M_Onoliti? in our opinion, 1 Monolith, represents the purest, most sober and essential form of the unit.
There are no handles or other rough edges that might pollute the decisive marked lines, only bold, pure volumes in elegant equilibrium.
monolith, the components 2 Inof the the unit (structure, frontal,
base, relief and work surface) lose their aesthetic identity in order to fully conserve their functional identity. These components assume the same
look thanks to thorough research on materials, initially different but rendered the same thanks to the partnership of our suppliers.
monolith look is finally 3 The guaranteed by the scarce
presence of thicknesses, often cached by subtle 12 mm panels and the 45° closure between frontal and work surface.
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“Petrified” and not only... by amazement!
M_Onoliti entrusts its accessibility to the wise use of laminate, a manufacturing material in-use since the early 1900s, whose development and application never stop amazing even experts.
For M_Onoliti we have chosen three “decorative” families: Stone: Pay attention to the texture! Less
experienced clients will have the impression that they are touching one of the types of marble for which Italy is most famous.
Stone Basalto
Stone Lava
Elmwood: even here the resemblance to wood borders on Illusionism!
Olmo Pearl
Olmo Dark
Olmo Smoke
Olmo Brown
Colors in “silk finish”: It will seem like
touching the noble fabrics for which Marco Polo wandered for many years...
Diamante
Burro
Seppia
Piombo
MESON’S
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Columns and wall unit in refined Diamond. Base with work surface in Basalt Stone laminate.
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Imagine a project, innovative and unique in itself, to which you can apply the most noble and sought-after materials: Opaque lacquer in “silk finish� (only for frontals):
a particular polishing process renders the lacquer surface perfectly smooth and void of any porosity. Touch becomes enchantingly pleasurable and almost sensual.
Iceland
Manila
Wien
Kenia
Detroit
Berlin
HI MACS acrylic resin from LG (only for work
surfaces): Absolutely one of the most technologically efficient and resistant materials used in kitchens today.
Iceland
Manila
Island in Detroit silk opaque lacquer. Work surface in solid Detroit. Columns in Berlin silk opaque lacquer and projecting elements in Detroit silk opaque lacquer.
Wien
Kenia
Detroit
Berlin
MESON’S
M_Onoliti Deluxe For our most demanding clients, you cannot miss our Deluxe version. M_Onoliti Deluxe is dedicated to those who do not intend to renounce anything! What changes? Let’s begin by asking what doesn’t
change: the design, the modules and the dimensions, the opening systems, etc. So what makes M_Onoliti become M_Onoliti Deluxe?
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Columns in Berlin silk opaque lacquer and projecting elements in Detroit silk opaque lacquer.
MESON’S
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M_Onoliti inside The M_Onoliti project has the objective of caching kitchen functions while also rendering them immediately and readily available. The volume of
the wall unit inserted between
the columns does not represent a mere, although managed, exercise of style but reveals a series of electronic tools: oven, microwave, confection oven, espresso coffee machine, water distributor and many more surprises‌
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From a design to a dream The location selection is fruit of a meticulous aesthetic study, conducted by set designer and stylist that collaborate
to transmit character and emotion into the final shot. Every detail, accessory or particularity is part of a precise vision of the spatial context, no longer considered a simple frame but as an integral element of the composition.
Meson’s
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01 Linear composition that concentrates operative and retention zone in a single wall, ideal for furnishing “open space” environments.
03 The architect combines concepts to bring about a space reduction in favor of an unparalleled freedom of movement. The columns host state-of-the-art electrical appliances integrated into the wall.
05 The corner solution with two-column terminal is serviced by a sequence of wall units that alternate between wall cabinet with open shelving and drawer and retaining elements. Solid “monolithic” bases solidly support the project.
M_Onoliti storyboard 07 When the space opens to the living room, ideas take form with island solutions. Hanging elements and integrated wall columns create optimal operational performance environments.
MESON’S
02 The cooking and washing stations are concentrated in an island concept. The multifunctional columns lend themselves to an “alternative� kitchen interpretation.
04 Different materials combine themselves to give life to a flexible and innovative project: cast-iron peninsula table. Memory and two-faced columns distinguish the functions of the environment without structural separations.
08 In this corner solution, wall units expand space upwards as if to highlight natural aspirations and go beyond their limits: inspired by the concreteness of those who start over with innovation.
06 09 In this role, M_Onoliti proposes an ample columned wall that concentrates technology and retention. In the center, the island is an invitation to put the chef-in-you to the test.
Linearity, compactness and versatility are some of the M_Onoliti qualities that informally furnish ample or minimal home spaces, planning every detail that makes it unique.
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When design comes from craftsmanship Meeting with Ilenia Indaco and the Magma Collection ilind2@gmail.com www.madeamanodesign.com
MESON’S
It is often said that the youth of today does not feel the bond between their own land and traditions, but it really isn’t like that. More often than not, it simply happens that tradition cannot manage to meet the present, and both end up dividing themselves into their own spaces. But every
rule is great for its exceptions, and sometimes it happens that cultural heritage and innovational push collaborate to create art, design and make space for creativity and talent. The Magma Collection is an innovative collection of majolica lava stone and ceramic furniture and furniture components, fruit of the collaboration between the “Made a Mano” company and Ilenia Indaco, young designer and architect from Catania that we interviewed by phone. Graduated with a degree in Palermo, teacher at the Fine Arts Academy (Accademia di Belle Arti) of Bologna, then Brera, and currently in Catania, designer and art director of a new nautical building site (also Sicilian), Ilenia has always been involved with architecture and design. She retains that one of her professional duties, aside from a “stimulating personal challenge”, is to manage to export design from her motherland, Sicily.
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Design brings new blood to craftsmanship, too often the victim of repetition and non-contemporary language, and wards off the risk of losing root knowledge from century-old traditions…
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MESON’S
It was, therefore, Ilenia who told us about how her belief is “the result of a personal road taken from a long time ago, in the conviction that there are many opportunities in the tight bond between design and craftsmanship, strongly linked together in a reciprocal dialogue and relationship. Design brings new blood to craftsmanship, too often the victim of repetition and non-contemporary language, and wards off the risk of losing root knowledge from century-old traditions; in its own way craftsmanship enriches design, not only craft and technique, but by the particularities linked to the identity of the territories. For this reason, in a land like Sicily, wealth of inestimable cultural heritage, I believe that the culture of the project must collaborate with the culture of the craft. Clearly the meeting between Ilenia and a completely Sicilian company like Made a Mano, that for years has promoted the reciprocal exchange between craftsmanship and design, has been fruitful. In just a few years, Made a Mano, material, surface and cladding producer for natural and majolica lava stone architecture, has managed to exceed the borders of Sicily and become a reinforced international supplying power with retailers throughout Europe: single brand show-room in Copenhagen and Paris, a space in the Tom Dixon Store in London, various collaborations with some of the most important design brands made in Italy. Their specialty lies in having combined everything in the right doses, craftsmanship, technical knowledge, entrepreneurial spirit and innovative formal language approach.
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MESON’S
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...to transform a living and natural material like lava into a refined and cultured one and then into objects that reflect the spirit and history of the land.
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“I visited Made a Mano on a muggy day in August, and I fell in love not only with the products, their colors, their decorations and their materials, but also with the ambiance that you breathed in. It revealed itself to be more than just a manufacturing establishment but also a continually experimenting laboratory where the profound love for the work, like the good old days, made each and every tile unique… Some samples, I remember from that visit, remained on my desk for months and continued to “talk to me” about their experiences: a true seed that, in the end, consumed me only when I managed to think up objects that were capable of translating those materials and what they express in 3D: the place’s cultural identity and its absolute uniqueness.” Therefore, the profound goal of “Magma Collection” is to transform a living and natural material like lava, that erupts from the depths of the largest volcano in Europe, into a refined and cultured one and then into objects that reflect the spirit and history of the land. “Like magma, fluid and incandescent material that surges from the depths of the Etna, it then solidifies in original and different forms, destined to remain for eternity. This way Magma Collection unites past and present, memory and contemporaneity, giving life to handmade objects, made to live an eternity, beyond time.”
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MESON’S
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Magma Collection unites past and present, memory and contemporaneity, giving life to handmade objects, made to live an eternity, beyond time.
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In this photo Ilenia Indaco
The total synergy between craftsmanship and design is therefore the guiding principle of the entire collection: design that plunges its roots into a thousand-year-old tradition of craftsmanship pulling materials, honor, colors and techniques in order to reinterpret them into objects from essential lines and strong character. Form, marking, color and handmade character become the variables of a game with infinite possibilities of composition and form that translate into an “interactive” design in which the user can personalize their object until it becomes a completely unique piece; with its own history and spirit. Some products from the collection are made in ceramic, ancient and renowned tradition from Calatino, but expert hands have modeled different forms for these objects compared to those of classical tradition: cone bases that, stylizing the Etna’s majestic profile, become the bases for original coffee tables; table legs that, exasperating the dimensional game of profiles, wink with nostalgia at the polished wood feet of 19th century Sicilian tables; cylinders of various dimensions that unite to form the bases of a crystal surface, while one of the cylinders remains the tallest of the other crystal cuts and, transforming itself into a vase, allows the table surface to bloom, ultimately adding a third element to the union between design and craftsmanship: imagination.
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MESON’S
Collection M_Onoliti is born with the ambitious goal of rendering the aesthetic, ergonomic and quality performance of high-end design accessible.
The use of laminate, a material invented in the early 1900s, has allowed for cost contention and use-resistance performance. Recent chromatic decadence and the innovative textures recently released on the market have sanctioned this category of materials, making it the absolute protagonist on the interior design scene. Additionally, M_Onoliti contains a strong dose of patent-protected creativity that provides for an original combination between frontal, work surface and the side.
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M_ONOLITI 01 M_Onoliti Collection with opaque white lacquer frontals. Work surface in Diamond laminate.
MESON’S
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M_ONOLITI 02 M_Onoliti Collection with columns in noble Butter, lateral open-element dividers with projecting element in noble Sepia. Island in noble Sepia with work surface in Sepia laminate.
MESON’S
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M_ONOLITI 03 M_Onoliti with base and work surface in Stone Lava laminate, columns and wall units in noble Lead.
MESON’S
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M_ONOLITI 04 M_Onoliti Collection with table surface in Memory solid wood, island in noble Lead. Work surface in Lead laminate, double-faced columns in noble Diamond. Projecting element in noble Lead.
MESON’S
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M_ONOLITI 05 M_Onoliti Collection with columns and wall units in noble Diamond. Base with work surface in Basalt Stone laminate.
MESON’S
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M_ONOLITI 06 M_Onoliti Collection with columns in natural Brown Elm. Base wall units in noble Sepia. Work surface in Sepia laminate.
MESON’S
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M_ONOLITI 07 M_Onoliti Collection with snack surface in Memory solid wood. Island in noble Diamond with work surface in Diamond laminate. Columns in noble Diamond with projecting elements in Stone Lava laminate.
MESON’S
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M_ONOLITI 08 M_Onoliti Collection with columns in natural Dark Elm, wall units in noble Butter. Bases, work surface and backguard in Basalt Stone laminate.
MESON’S
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M_ONOLITI 09 M_Onoliti Collection with island in Detroit silk opaque lacquer. Work surface in Detroit solid surface. Columns in Berlin silk opaque lacquer and projecting elements in Detroit silk opaque lacquer.
MESON’S
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MESON’S
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Grandma’s marketing
Management, the Web and creativity: Did Grandma do it? Is “conducting Grandma’s marketing” a smart move by traditionalist entrepreneurs aware that old systems that worked back in the day still work well or are we talking about obsolete choices, things that are archived in an old place full of dust and spider webs?
Before anything, we pay attention to breakthroughs and innovations at all costs: the hope that by making different choices we will obtain better results can transform into a dangerous practice for both retail and manufacturing businesses because sometimes it isn’t enough to change your choices, but we must restructure managerial tools. Here are some new indisputably useful practices, however, only if they are implemented in a vast and precise management plan. Without this plan, the efficiency of these practices would be frivolous: Viral Marketing, Multi Level Marketing, Guerilla Marketing, Ambient Marketing e W.O.M. (word of mouth) Marketing… here’s the problem. Be careful when we come into our offices to propose a costly new W.O.M Marketing program. Grandma would be so angry! Grandma’s Marketing is centered on creating relationships, doing well and making it known that this is our plan. Simple! Creating conditions so that people spend the time to refer other customers to our stores and clients that testify to the quality of our products and services. Substantially creating a reputation through word of mouth. However, the real point is this: can we think of a system that bases itself on what has already worked in the past and make it more efficient and powerful while at the same time practical and less costly? The model I am referring to starts with a system that directly connects, like an intense and efficient flux of word of mouth, all the interior design business protagonists: manufacturers, retailers, architects and interior designers, technicians, consumers. At the heart of this network of relationships there is the product and the plan, both focused on the client to inform, advise and seduce.
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RETAIL
The base of this new network marketing approach between professionals and businesses is based on motivational research that has involved over two thousand studies of project planning, hundreds of mid to high-range interior retailers as well as interior design and construction material consumers. If we really want to distance ourselves from the terms used by Grandma’s Marketing, the system can be described as an innovative and creative fusion between BtoB, Visual, Web and Network Marketing. Said like this, we quickly understand that it is actually very tough! The non-conventional premises are: in the showroom money is made with what one cannot see; marketing brings the organizational layout to life, therefore it is not a static strategy but rather a dynamic process; exchanging business cards with planners and private companies transforms into a Business Network relationship and service platform; development has ceased if it always remains the same. It occurs to planners to give services to increase loyalty. This creates trust between customers but also helps them to manage relationships with their territory because nobody teaches them how in university. The objectives are: guarantee more notoriety in the showroom at capped prices; involve and create loyalties between professionals providing network marketing support to improve their work; create an accessible gallery to the public that amplifies visibility of the locations and creations; locally develop manufacturer marketing with a collaborative network with the objective of increasing business opportunities; intensify efficient communication and contact with potential clients. This approach aims to bond traditional marketing techniques with new multimedia tools and their interaction with a third generation Digital Marketing platform based on the most applied and advanced Social Network technologies in the professional world of design in a creative way. DesignYourMind is a new system that has already been created and tested by G&M and will launch in the coing months of 2013.
Company
business
The new fuel (that doesn’t pollute) is the tenacity of the retailer managing the system in collaboration with manufacturers that support selected retailers. Because, by now it is clear, manufacturers are selecting retailers. And the retailers that know how to evolve will be selected by the market and planners. If the manufacturers and retailers offer reciprocal and solid support, the design product will obtain a new meaning, new markets and a new era. But above all, they will have the most direct and less costly tools. Therefore it is essential that creativity means “thinking unconventionally” and that management means “creative method”, or rather a dynamic process in constant evolution without scaring the boss – whether it is a manufacturer or retailer – because even there where there has been a generational change, even the older folks still have authority and must be put in a position to create understanding and trust. Following this metaphor, sons and daughters can point out new tools, and the parents’ experiences suggest that good methodologies never let you down. The methodology can be acquired by manufacturers and by retailers to develop and strengthen business opportunities to the point of “working with other company’s clients” in complete coherence with the famous “word of mouth” of Grandma! And if, as Grandma used to say, “who has time does not wait for time” is true, we can offer the necessary tips to get ahead of the competition. In this era of flying time, all advantages are resources that are transformed in profit. Cynthia Petrangeli c.petri@designyourmind.it
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Therefore it is essential that creativity means “thinking unconventionally” and that management means “creative method”, or rather a dynamic process in constant evolution without scaring the boss.
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FOR THE WAY IT’S M A D E . Chef Touch is a revolutionary system for unique and delicate low-temperature vacuum-cooking. It maintains the organic properties of food, their natural humidity and accentuates the taste and aromas. A perfect ally even for the optimal conservation of food. Machine for vacuum-sealing, steam oven and blast chiller. With Chef Touch, ability, passion and creativity unite in uniqueness, professionalism and design for meals created by real chefs even at their own homes. We are achieving excellence. Let’s share. Let’s make something special together. www.kitchenaid.it
Mad 51 project.
product.
service.
making your dream home come true
renovating is simple.
Writing for the Meson’s News magazine, aside from the privilege and pleasure, for us here at Mad051 represents a particular honor, above all if related to the theme that guides this issue: innovation, creativity, talent and project. We, in fact, believe that in order for
there to be innovation in sectors structured like ours, it should absolutely combine unique and binding once-in-a-lifetime moments with the creative force that brings a project into production. This article seems to serve as an example, and if this is the case, it will be very welcomed for the future of the market!
MESON’S
In this photo: Alessandro Muzzarelli
project.
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...in order for there to be innovation in sectors structured like ours, it should absolutely combine unique and binding once-in-a-lifetime moments with the creative force that brings a project into production.
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service.
Mad051 was born three years ago from a simple reflection on how interior design stores had lost a very important patrimony, like internal consultations, in favor of a rapid commercialization of sanctioned products that would then become furniture. The roots of what we sustain today is an in incredible mistake resides in the ease with which, in recent years, buying a product and reselling it without particular processing guaranteed the prosperity of commercial activities that progressively continued to lose the habit of listening to their particular market sector. In general, it was sufficient to associate with some well-known brands and some trustable no-name brands, and the final marketable blend worked leaving margin, in case of difficulty, for the possibility of a discount leverage. In those years, one worked on speed and sale simplification that provided immediate results and comparisons, probably losing sight of content and service value that would have created a protective barrier of at least family-run activities. All of this has progressively led to a strong standardization of the product and selling process, penalizing the production chain that has been flattened by obvious choices and common places, often grey areas and above all difficult to defend.
product. materials
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flooring / bathrooms
In the same period two initially undervalued phenomena faced each other in the market: Large Retailers and the Web. The first, strong in its communication abilities and its role in the market, is beginning to acquire notable market quotes conveying price, service and finished product with clarity, becoming a brand and beginning to dissolve the foundations of our market. The second, informing and “discovering� the grey areas of our production chain, is generating an evermore demanding and precise client, often misinterpreted as difficult and presumptuous, that arrogantly introduce themselves into the Machiavellian informational emptiness of our market, feeding a true distributive revolution to which it happens to respond with high professional content (in the past sacrificed for operative quickness and simplification of the sale, very difficult to reproduce today). Production, in turn, has responded to all of this by simplifying the product even more, and primarily following price politics. Therefore it has not fed content or value politics, bringing a non-discrimination of products to the point where trying to recognize the producer is often a vain attempt. Therefore, perhaps for the first time, we can understand how difficult it is for the production chain, and in particular the retailers, to relate to the market in order to make competitive decisions based on the evolution of demand. The real question to which Mad051 has wanted to respond is the following: how is it possible to reconstruct the value of an undifferentiated product (like furniture) in the presence of attitudes oriented toward simplifying the sale? From our point of view, the only way is to regain the retailers’ past selling skills linked to interior design projects, infusing new ingredients capable of differentiating the undifferentiated, researching and developing professional abilities, creating small local networks through your own shops where young professionals can collaborate by providing stimulating ideas to interior designers who are often slowed down by older skill sets (almost to the point of not realizing that operative costs put their own activity at risk, promoting different external resources). In a few words: raising the bar in order to be the best by basing competition on better window displays at our retailers and not just on prices like other businesses. Mad051 has begun bring a structured project to stores on products and services properly chosen to manage complex renovation works, with the objective of intercepting the client in the beginning of their planning and guiding the retailers towards preventative management to achieve better marginality. The stores that participate in the program (50 with the goal of reaching 150 by the end of 2015) are contributing to the improvement with constant information, asking to coordinate them in order to communicate price differences compared to competitors. For this reason we have launched a series of actions that have brought us to become technical partners of our clients in a short time.
MESON’S
project.
product.
service.
business We have created a visual to inform our clients during the buying process with a style that makes everything transparent that has traditionally been left in the dark: how a price is decided, how we intend to cash in, what we give and what we ask for, expressing three indispensable concepts: project, product, service. Our payoff says “Renovating is simple”. We support our retail staff in external professional visits in order to give them opportunities and allow them to share these experiences through their own collective paths. Additionally, we organize specialization courses and online communication campaigns.
We provide an absolute “key in hand”, organized in three years of intense work through local craftsmen, with clear time and production management, everything in line with the market prices. Last but not least, we are considering activating an internally structured quarterly magazine for stores and with stores to communicate new contents to a by now silent production chain. We believe that this is the right path towards improving ourselves so that retailers rediscover the centrality of their own role and innovate themselves through a project that aims at feeding creativity that has always been, and must become again, the base of our activity and success in the world. We thank Meson’s who has allowed us to share this project with their clients; a project that we will continue to push forward with the utmost commitment and pride, opening it to all those who want to add value to it. Innovation begins here. Alessandro Muzzarelli, Founding associate manager of the Mad051 Project alessandro.muzzarelli@mad051.it
partner ideas
INTERIOR SHOWROOM
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MESON’S
V_ETRONICA
Collection
Glass is not a fragile choice.
The distinctive characteristics of this collection lie in the tempered colored glass panels, glued to an aluminum frame on which hinges and eventual additional mechanisms are fixed. There
are no handles like those of a recess-opening unit that allow for an easier grasp of the frontals. To complete the concept, 1 cm thick glass work surfaces are available in the same colors as the frontals. The combination of the two materials like aluminum and glass confers extreme lightness, cleaning ease and an almost infinite product life.
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V_ETRONICA Vetronica Collection in Os_Bianco and Os_Arancio glazed glass with silicon profiles. Work surface in Iceland solid surface.
MESON’S
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MESON’S
M_26
Collection
M_26 prefers quality materials like glossy or opaque lacquer, wood and stone, and distinguishes itself from other kitchen lines by the generous thickness of its 26 mm frontals. It is the first collection
whose containers, in addition to featuring larger capacity due to their different dimensions, are assembled using updated components like slow closure hinges, reinforced legs, bottom hinged frames, etc. M_26 was developed with a mature, equilibrated and knowledgeable public in mind in search of precious products but reasonably accessible. The M_26 collection provides five opening systems that lend their names to the different models: M_26 Maniglia, M_26 Gola, M_26 Presa, M_26 Vela ed M_26 Profili.
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M_26 VELA M_26 Collection with columns and wall units in Dove-grey opaque lacquer and bases in Crete opaque lacquer. Work surface in Gaya Grey polished stone finish.
MESON’S
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M_26 PRESA M_26 Collection with columns and peninsula table in veneered Bleached Elm. Island in Arctic opaque lacquer and work surface in laminated Talc.
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M_26 MANIGLIA M_26 Collection in heattreated veneered Oak and White opaque lacquer, open elements in Crete, Dove-grey and Amber opaque lacquer. Work surface in silk finish Casablanca agglomerate.
MESON’S
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M_26 GOLA M_26 Collection with columns in veneered Ash Oak, bases and wall units in Gravel opaque lacquer. Work surface in Rust laminate.
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M_26 PROFILI M_26 Collection in veneered Walnut. Work surface in Porphyry stone with flame polished finish.
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The dream transformed into a project: high-energy efficiency features, an anti-seismic structure perfectly isolated on the outside with an excellent insulation layerin wood fiber and the warmth of the wooden structure in view on the inside.
THE RO OF TOP corner
Gianna Centenaro, young publicist and mother, tells us about how her dream of living in a wooden house is about to become reality. Cultivating a dream, a dream that smells of home, nature and vitality. Dreaming of a wooden house. Sustainable. Large and beautiful. I am 30 years old, I have a husband, two 2 year-old twins and a piece of land in Veneto, full of streets and cement, where there are still some small green corners. My passion for architecture and design has not given way to my desire to return to nature. Returning to nature and wooden and straw cabins that brought us to where we are today does not mean regression. Aware that progress and nature are two faces of the same coin, I gave in, and in 2008, in the company of my then boyfriend and now husband and adored father, I chose a wooden house for our future home. Think of others before yourself, many others. But my choice was not a choice guided by the experience of others; it was a choice of instinct. And thus, with Marta Baretti and Sara Carbonera, we began deliberating over the shape that we wanted to give to our dreams. We asked our architects for a home where we could live in harmony with the surrounding environment, built with natural, resistant and durable materials that managed to create a safe shell for a our family, an oasis of wellbeing far from the frenzy and stifling rhythms. A home where our children could play in serenity, where we could host our friends, a home were we could face nature and become one with it. Our home.
Photo in the upper left: Monica Martini; other photos of Monica Martini, Sara Carbonera, Nicoletta Boraso.
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MESON’S
The dream transformed into a project: high energy efficiency features, an anti-seismic structure perfectly isolated on the outside with an excellent insulation layer in wood fiber and the warmth of the wooden structure in view on the inside. The great living room on the ground floor directly faces the garden with visual continuity thanks to the large glass windows and the warmth of the fireplace, that on the coldest of winter days warms you and keeps you company. A space that was created for living, hosting and sharing. On the upper level one finds four bedrooms that transmit to each person their own intimacy, time for rest and silence. Even here the wooden structure is in plain view as if to reaffirm that a beautiful and sturdy home can be made completely in wood.
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HOME
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CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
WORK CALENDAR
PAPERWORK
BEAUTIFUL THINGS
ACCORDING TO ME
langolodeltetto.blogspot.it has quickly become a frequently visited and appreciated space, rich in ideas and emotions and will soon host images and reflections on the construction site, executive designs of my home and all the anticipation and hope for our new nest.
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The wood left in plain sight is a guarantee for us. We are talking about a natural material, virtuous and renewable. The harvests of woods and forests contribute to the conservation of the environment, to the care of otherwise abandoned mountainous areas, to the economy and to the health of the environment. Furthermore it is one of the few construction materials for which the “zero emissions” guarantee is valid. It regulates humidity and improves air quality. Our house is sustainable and this goes well beyond the wooden structures. It was planned with care in order to be efficient. Efficiency, in fact, is part of sustainability: less waste, less consumption, less energy. And it is beautiful. Even the beauty makes your eyes squint at the sustainability. It gives value to the surrounding environment. It puts itself in a positive relationship. It enjoys the admiring gaze of who lives there and who is hosted. Solidity is sustainable: not being obligated to make repairs and modifications and using new economic resources and materials is an integral part of our dream. And art too, the ability of who has created a project and realized it will add an ecological value to our wooden house. It will be a local piece of craftsmanship, Italian quality, and a team collaboration. All of these are elements that consistently produce quality products. The emotion and anticipation have pushed me to create a blog in which I can give my experience a voice and gather images, information and details that are fruit of my curiosity and restlessness. langoldeltetto.blogspot.it has quickly become a frequently visited and appreciated space, rich in ideas and emotions and will soon host images and reflections on the construction site executive designs of my home and all the anticipation and hope for our new nest. Gianna Centenaro: langolodeltetto.blogspot.it Arbau Studio: www.arbau.org
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Kitchen window photo by Nicoletta Boraso
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Latticework in larch photo by Sara Carbonera
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Landing and roof shading photo by Francesco Castagna
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Large opening above portico photo by Francesco Castagna
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Kitchen detail photo by Monica Martini
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The psychology of everyday Things* Tips for irrational shopping If you never want to feel embarrassed again when faced with a beautiful design object that you don’t know how to use, finally someone explains that the problem is not you, but the designer. The title of this section is a tribute to Donald A. Norman, who wrote The Psychology of Everyday Things in the mid - 90’s and has helped many people getting rid of this nightmare. Each object can be relatively useful or useless, a design object, however, to be called such, must always be functional.
* by Cristina Romanello
romanello.cristina@gmail.com
MESON’S
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“We need to stop making masterpieces:
we need to be masterpieces! ”
It was the fall of 1998 when I deeply immersed myself in the discovery of a curious character name Carmelo Bene. I was working on a thesis about the history of performance and had decided to take advantage of a “vertical” study to analyze such a complex, ambiguous, crazy, loved and hated actor like Bene. In the course of my studies, one of his theories emerged that particularly struck me and often, in the following years, was either very useful to me or presented itself as a possible answer to doubts or problems. We need to be masterpieces”. This phrase almost managed to contradict or unmask the entire production of historical art, paintings, frescos and installations. Man is Art! The new idea to start from the author and not from the final product intrigued
me and turned the prospective upside down making it more contemporary. On one hand, there was the great art history of the Greeks, Romans, teachers of the Renaissance, Romanticism and avant-garde on which I had spent many years of study. On the other hand, there was man and his everyday life: a misery to my young eyes. The masterpiece is in itself Art: the maximum expression of man in his constant struggle towards likeness with the divine and perfection. I studied art for many years, I learned and admired the great teachers, but I also quickly understood that that type of art would have inevitably remained on the nightstands of some student or in the great bookstores of scholars and intellectuals. Bene’s theory, if analyzed, becomes rather philosophical, inaccessible, distant, much like he presented himself as a distant and inaccessible character from acceptance and “sobriety”. At that point, however, my thoughts and ponderings began to go in the opposite direction
of philosophy and found an application in every day life. If Michelangelo’s art seemed too distant and complex, maybe there was an art closer to the reach of people and less elite, an art that did not necessarily need books and books full of explanations. If man can be a masterpiece as Bene retained, art becomes an instrument of life. I can use it as I use a hammer or scissors, a mouse or a mortar. I can modify myself and everything that surrounds me. I can hide the things that I don’t like and highlight the things that I do like. I can recall a beautiful moment and try to forget an unpleasant one. I am a masterpiece when I manage to give value to everything that is inside of me and around me. The space in which I live, the home where I live: everything is Art if I approach it in an artistic way. A masterpiece cannot be attacked. It exists and is impervious like a divinity.
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I create a masterpiece every day when I avoid fighting with my children, when I choose beautiful music to pull me through a hard moment, when, even if it rains, I want sunflowers, when I decide to change the position of the table in order to add a place for a guest, when I choose a bold color for a wall, or I decide on a whim to create a cake and do not have all the ingredients. The art of the small things, the alchemic transformation of ugly things into beautiful things… this is a true masterpiece! Therefore, even if I live in a gray condominium in a residential area constructed in the 1980s, I can hang colorful pictures on the walls. Even if my window does not have a great view, I can use beautiful wallpaper. Even if my house is not as big as I would like, I can appreciate the fact that I take less time to clean it, and it forces me to keep only the essential things and make the right choices: less space, fewer things. I do not need so much money nor do I need so much culture. Art is a talent. One develops it slowly, and it is more an approach than a result. A home is our container; every day it can hold a surprise for us if we wish. It can be a dynamic space or each day or it can be the same, reassuring and maternal. Always choose what you like and what makes you feel good. Do not undervalue details because they are important. They can be the source of daily pleasures that you never imagined before.
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If in any moment of your life, pessimism, ugliness or laziness take over, always remind yourself that you can decide to make a masterpiece.
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Try to pay attention to the small things because they can make you happy… a color, an outfit, a flower, a new mug, a perfume, a beautiful fabric, a potholder made by your grandmother, a wooden cutting board. I remember the words of a dear friend who one day told me a sad story that left me with a beautiful image. She was in her sixth month of pregnancy and gave birth to her first son prematurely. Shut up in a hospital room, she told me about the joy her desperate soul felt in seeing the playful flight of a flock of birds from her window. That flight, in that moment, “saved her”. Even if it was for just a fleeting moment, it saved her. Art is love! Love felt, denied, eternal love, rebellious love, deformed, uncontrollable, young, unhealthy, equilibrated, mature and special. If in any moment of your life, pessimism, ugliness or laziness take over, always remember that you can decide to make a masterpiece.
To those of you who want to savor the pleasure of being a masterpiece, even on a nostalgic rainy day, I suggest a winter infusion with hints of cinnamon, cloves and orange. Let the perfume spread through the whole kitchen. Take a break, put on some cozy slippers, pour the infusion in a large mug, preferably a pretty one, wrap your hands around it, warm yourself and breathe in the sweet smell…art is also this. Enjoy your infusion! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN1HFU78yXA
“Make your life a masterpiece. Do not drown in the everyday muddle: fight, create allies, make yourself indignant, make mistakes, shout, but make your life a masterpiece.” from “Giovane è la notte” by B. Savonari
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MESON’S
K_SYSTEM Collection
Meson’s is one of the first Italian companies to revolutionize the kitchen concept, passing from the traditional spectrum vision subdivided into “closed models” to a unique and diagonal project. K_System is just this: frontals in different shapes, materials, finishes and colors that can be applied to each unit in infinite combinations. This frees the designer from every restraint and, therefore, allows a perfect harmony with the demands, budget and taste of each client.
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K_GOCCIA VETRO K_System Collection in White etched glass, opening elements in veneered Charcoal Oak. Work surface in Iceland solid surface.
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K_GOCCIA K_System Collection with bases and wall units in Hemp opaque lacquer, columns in Bronze opaque lacquer. Work surface in Kenia solid surface.
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K_2K K_System Collection in White opaque lacquer and work surface in Haifa agglomerate gloss finish.
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K_ZEN K_System Collection in veneered Chalk Oak. Work surface in Halifax gloss finish.
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K_10 K_System Collection with island in heat-treated veneered Oak. Work surface and columns in stainless steel.
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Recipes by Gianfranco Allari from the Le Tamerici cooking school, Photo by Paola Chizzini.
MESON’S
A super midday snack In this first episode dedicated to our little chefs, I decided to teach you the preparation of a Super Midday Snack for you and your friends. Here are 10 small rules to follow when you decide to put yourself in front of the stove: 1) Before you start, it is important to always have a designated cooking assistant (your mom, your dad, a big brother or sister) that will help you with the more difficult steps. 2) Wash your hands well with soap and water and, if you have long hair, tie them back with a hair tie. 3) Wear an apron or white shirt, and be sure to have a dishcloth or paper towel to wipe your hands or the cutting board when necessary. 4) Read the recipe carefully and make sure that you have understood all of the steps and laid out all of the necessary ingredients. 5) Lay out all of the measured ingredients on your work surface. 6) Be very careful when using knives: if you do not feel confident using them, ask your cooking assistant to help you. If you do decide to use them, please be very very careful! 7) Do not touch pots and pans resting on the stove. Even steam can burn you! Additionally, do not put in or take out trays from the oven by yourself. Ask your cooking assistant. 8) Do not use small kitchen appliances, like blenders or mixers, without the help of your cooking assistant. 9) Be sure to always respect resting times indicated in the recipe. 10) When you have finished cooking, be sure to tidy up the kitchen! Remember it is important to be able to rely on the cooking assistant that will be in charge of all of the operations that will be dangerous for you like touching hot pots and using the oven or other sharp tools. Here are some useful tips for older chefs. Try to always be present when the use of sharp tools are involved. Be careful that our little chefs do not go close to the burners unaccompanied and that all pot and pan handles are not in reach but always turned toward the inner part of the stove. Try to involve the children in the cooking process giving them some information about the ingredients used as well. It is important to accustom our little chefs to tasting what they are preparing so that they begin to discover new tastes and combinations. Be patient even if every once in a while a little bit of flour falls on the ground or if not all of the chocolate ends up in the bowl‌ children need to feel free to try, make messes and experiment. You will see that in the end that it will have been a wonderful experience, even if the kitchen looks like a battlefield!
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MESON’S
ready? ‘‘ Everything Then let’s begin!
Pizza ball
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Ingredients Makes 12 pizza balls
For the filling 500 gr flour 20 small tomatoes 250 gr water at room temperature 120 gr Asiago cheese 25 gr brewer’s yeast 4 small hotdogs 10 gr sugar Oregano and salt 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
What you need 1 bowl 1 rolling pin 1 spoon 1 fork 1 knife 10 single-use muffin wrappers 1 brush 1 dishcloth
Preparation For this recipe it is important to begin, for a question of time, at least two hours before you have your midday snack. Firstly, prepare all of ingredients on the work surface with your mother’s help. Everything ready? Then let’s begin! Pour flour into the bowl, creating a big crater in the center (as if it were a volcano). Now put on the external part of the volcano salt and in the middle, sugar, the brewer’s yeast crumbled in a little water; with one hand squish the yeast lightly so that it dissolves; when it is completely dissolved, add the rest of the water and oil. With one hand, keep the bowl still and with the other hand begin gathering flour and mix it with the water; in the beginning you can use a fork. When all of the ingredients begin to blend together, place the dough lightly on the cutting board with some flour and begin to kneed the dough with both of your hands. For this stepit is essential that your mom gives you a little help! When the dough is smooth, make a ball and place it back in the bowl, cover it with the dishcloth or a little plastic wrap and leave it to rise for about an
hour in a cool, dry place: yeast is a heat-loving species and if it does not find a warm place it won’t grow! While the dough rises, begin preparing the filling and the rest of the recipe for the midday snack. For the filling you need to cut the small tomatoes in 4, put them into the bowl with the hotdogs and cheese cut in cubes, and finally, season everything with a pinch of salt. After one hour, take the dough and divide it into 12 equal parts, then roll each piece with the rolling pin, place in the middle some filling and then, being very careful, close the dough creating a ball. Place all of the balls in the aluminum muffin wrappers with the smooth part facing the top, cover them with a dishcloth and let them rest for another 30 minutes ... always in a warm place! After 30 minutes, tell your mom to lightly season the pizza balls with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of oregano and then put everything in the oven at 200° for about 20 minutes. Once they are ready, wait a few minutes before removing the pizza balls from the muffin forms and serve them to your friends.
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beginning, ‘‘Inthethecooking process
is a bit difficult, but with just a pinch of patience you’ll do just fine.
Upside down
Cheesecake Ingredients Serves 4 people
400 gr cream cheese 50 gr powdered sugar 4 large cookies 2 eggs 1 small basket of about 200 gr of strawberries Milk q.b.
What you need 4 glasses or cups 1 small saucepan to cook the eggs 1 glass cup 1 small sieve 1 bowl 1 spoon 1 small knife
Preparation Firstly, remember to remove the eggs from the refrigerator at least an hour before so that they are at room temperature (if they are too cold, they could break during baking). Prepare the measured ingredients on the table, then cook the eggs and remind your mom that they need to boil softly for 8 minutes… no longer, otherwise they will become green like an alien! While the eggs cook, mix the cream cheese and the sugar well and add a few tablespoons of milk in order to make the cream smoother. When the eggs are ready, pass them under some cold water, remove the shell and egg white and save only the yolk. Rest the sieve over the bowl with the cream cheese, put the two egg yolks in the middle and squish them well with the back of the spoon: in the beginning the cooking process is a bit difficult, but with just a pinch of patience you’ll do just fine. When the yolks have turned into small bits, mix with a spoon until the cream has a nice yellow color. Put the cookies in a plastic bag, then with one hand, keep the bag sealed and with the other mash the cookies with the help of a small rolling pin until the cookies are small crumbs. Quickly wash the strawberries, then dry them with some paper towel, remove the leaves and cut them into small pieces, then distribute them in the 4 glasses, cover them with the cream and lastly with the cookie crumbs. Let the cheesecakes rest in the refrigerator until serving time.
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MESON’S
Cookie stick
Ingredients
Preparation
Makes 12 cookies
Here is a quick but very fun recipe, to enjoy at the end of our super midday snack! While mom is melting the chocolate over the water vapor, put a sheet of waxed paper on a tray, arrange the cookies in a line and place on each one a wooden stick. I used popsicle sticks. If you can’t find them, you can also use shish kebab sticks but remember to remove the pointed end. Place them so that the stick stays properly balanced on the cookie… a good trick is to place a small piece of cardboard or another cookie under the part of the
150 gr dark or milk chocolate 12 rectangular or round dry cookies Colored candies Walnuts, pine nuts, almonds
What you need 10 popsicle sticks 1 spoon 1 saucepan and pot with water for steam cooking 1 tray 1 sheet of waxed paper
popsicle stick that sticks out. When the chocolate is completely melted, mix it well and, using a spoon, put a bit of cookie in it so that the sticks are blocked; spread it well and decorate with nuts and the colored candies. Once all of the cookies are done, let them cool and then have a great snack!
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EX PE RIEN CES
The hillside home The inevitable homage to Cesare Pavese in the title is immediately inspired
by the view from the home of Francesca, who has welcomed us into her home for the Real Life Experience of this issue. Interview by Valentina Olivieri valentina@bushidocomunicazione.it
MESON’S
Francesca is a nurse and lives with her husband and their 4 month-old daughter in a house surrounded by hills in Pieve di Soligo, a town in the province of Treviso where, despite the strong urbanization that, in the last decades, has characterized its history, there are still enchanting natural areas like those near the flow of the Soligo River.
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Angelo suggested the doors in slatted walnut on the bases and shiny white lacquer for the wall units and columns, while the work surface is in white quartz agglomerate…
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Your home seems to have a great historical value, is this true? Actually, you’re right…it’s a rustic house dating back to 1630 that belonged to the family of Count Brandolini. It belongs to my in-laws, but we expanded and renovated an area that acts like a depot and that’s where we built our apartment. It must be a shame not to spend a lot of time in such a beautiful home… Since both of us work, it is difficult to enjoy domestic life as we would like. However, since our daughter was born, I definitely spend much more time at home. And in the kitchen? More than anything in the kitchen! I really love cooking and hosting friends anytime I can, time permitting. Did you already have clear ideas for your dream kitchen or did you research different options first? We evaluated many different brands, did research and visited a lot of stores…then we met Angelo (from the VivereDentro retailer in Col San Martino, n.d.r) who prepared two projects for two different solutions, ultimately convincing us! In the end, which Meson’s kitchen did you choose? A K_System Collection kitchen, the K_Goccia model. What do you like most about your kitchen? I really like the wood. Actually, I would have really enjoyed the whole kitchen in wood, being a pretty large space, but we would have risked ruining it. Therefore Angelo suggested the doors in slatted walnut on the bases and shiny white lacquer for the wall units and columns, while the work surface is in white quartz agglomerate… and I am really satisfied with the result. Additionally I adore the “gola” opening, I find it absolutely beautiful. In general, the kitchen is composed of many particularities, and other than being beautiful, is very functional. The push-and-pull drawer is very comfortable to use for waste: I can open it without touching it, which comes in handy when you have dirty hands. Plus, my husband is a wine technician so obviously we couldn’t do without a canteen for our wines… but I also use it for other drinks!
MESON’S
And the green walls? Even that was one of Angelo’s suggestions… he suggested it to us because it recalls the green of the surrounding hills… and it really does! Also considering that green in one of my favorite colors, the choice was inevitable! It’s really true. Thanks Francesca!
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Meson’s
Details that make the difference New design tricks
Among the professionals of the field, the theory “all quality you do not see is a cost” has become prevalent in recent years. Bringing this theory to the extreme, products should appear solid and efficient. But in reality one should not worry if they really are or not and much less if their performance lasts.
Those who plan and, above all, those who produce Meson’s deny this cynicism disguised as convenience! At the same time, however, we realize how complex it is for the consumer to perceive the differences between a mediocre product and an excellent one. Therefore in this column we will attempt to highlight some features for which it’s worth it to buy a top-quality kitchen… a Meson’s kitchen. Michele Celotto
Anti capsizing bases and columns Meson’s provides an anti capsizing system for bases and columns applied to the sides that, through a fixed wall hanger, solidly anchors the element to the wall, avoids the capsizing of the containers.
Distancing hanger for dishwasher fixation In the case of compositions involving dishwashers or refrigerators under the countertop, the final edge is fixed by a crankcase above and below that anchor to the countertop and adjacent base of the appliance.
LED bar on the wall unit opening LED lighting under the wall unit takes advantages of the frame opening present on the bottom of the wall unit with two outcomes: facilitating the opening of the wall unit door and accommodating the LED strip to illuminate the surface of the kitchen (that’s enough!).
Open wall unit elements assembled at 45° All open wall unit elements with 1.3 cm thickness are realized with a folding system that lends continuity to the hinge between side and cover since the element is obtained from a single panel folded in 4 sides with 45° hinges.
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MY WAY
OUR CULINARY SECTION
In past years we have witnessed a widespread reevaluation of food as a communicative force, above all in virtue of its indisputable social and collective power. Without contradicting
this idea, my travel companions and I would like to pause on this “reflective” aspect of food in this issue. Considering the fact that almost all of the cells in our body regenerate themselves close to every three months, it is totally obvious that we are what we eat, and the act of cooking is actually an act of love towards ourselves. With this in mind, Roberto & Co. wanted to pay homage to the people dedicated to this daily sacred ritual, giving them a “gift” of emotions/ sensations composed of: a tasty recipe that is both healthy and ecologically sustainable, a delightful cocktail to be sipped whilst rinsing, cutting and cooking, a soothing and inspiring soundtrack, and last, but not least, a stimulating illustration composed of pictures and words. And so we wish to all… happy cooking!
MY WAY is: Roberto Abbadati, a one of a kind chef and atypical interpreter of the food world along with Thomas Colombo, mixologist by necessity but above all for passion, AlessiaRubagotti, a fashion designer who has always been drawn to the world of art and is a lover of beauty. Roberto Abbadati / Chef www.robertoabbadati.it Thomas Colombo / Mixologist www.thomascolombo.com Alessia Rubagotti / Fashion Designer www.lali.it
INGREDIENTS Serves 10 people
Approximately 30 shrimp tails (even frozen) already shelled (leaving only the last part), sliced longitudinally and the black portion from the back removed Handful of thick salt Pot with approximately 3-4 liters of water flavored with cilantro, 1 tablespoon cilantro seeds 1 small garlic clove cut in half and some leaves of a stem of lemon grass or simply lemon leaves Juice and finely grated lime peel 1 lemon and 1 orange 1 small scallion, peeled and sliced in small cubes (not minced) Small amount of extra virgin olive oil 2 bags of tortilla chips
For the pepper cream 2 red peppers and 2 yellow peppers, washed, opened and without seeds or white pulp 1 small scallion, peeled and thinly sliced 2 small bay leaves Extra virgin olive oil
For the guacamole 2 ripe avocados, peeled and mashed with a whisk, or diced 2 tomatoes, boiled for a couple of seconds in boiling water, cooled in ice water, drained, peeled, cut in quarters without seeds and dried (makes 8 well-dried tomato “petals”) 1 tablespoon of finely chopped red onion, not minced 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro Juice of 1 lime A dozen drops Tabasco sauce
Psycho Shrimps
& GUACAMOLE DJ ON A TURNTABLE
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Photo taken by photographer Francis Cancarini (www.francisphotographer.it)
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MY WAY
OUR CULINARY SECTION
Psycho Shrimps
& GUACAMOLE DJ ON A TURNTABLE This recipe embraces and embodies the Mexican “mood for food” with its equally exotic character.
PREPARATION Mix the shrimp tails with thick salt, leave them to marinade for 3-4 minutes, then immerse them in very cold water in order to completely remove the salt. Join the citrus juices in a small pot, adding their grated peels and the scallion, mix until everything is completely condensed; transfer the peels and scallion in a small glass and cover them with olive oil. Boil the water with cilantro, throw in the shrimp tails and leave them to cook for a minute, drain and lay them out to cool off quickly, and once they are at room temperature, season them with the peels and scallion with the olive oil marinade. In two pots with a thick base, place the diced peppers with half scallion and a scallion leaf; add cold water until the level of the peppers, cover and bring to a boil. Let it cook until the peppers are completely dry and tender, then pass the pieces through a slightly more porous sieve (use the shallower part in order to work more comfortably) and push them through thoroughly, gathering the pulp on the other side. Mix the different purees with a little oil and salt, obtaining brightly colored, smooth creams to put in squeeze containers. Cut the tomato petals into cubes and mix them with the other ingredients, obtaining a thick and chunky cream, rich in flavor, with a slightly spicy and sour taste. Starting with a classic and rather “domestic” citrus-crustacean combination, already very tasty by itself, one is immediately drawn into a pre-Columbian taste adventure thanks to the presence of various vegetables of Central American origin like peppers, tomatoes, corn and lime. This recipe embraces and embodies the Mexican “mood for food” with its equally exotic character.
Let’s take guacamole for example: You may notice how the aggressive flavor of the Tabasco sauce and cilantro is soothed by the “maternal” voluptuousness of the avocado or how the sourness of the citrus flavors is embraced by the sweetness of the peppers. Even though we find a heated (yet fun) dialogue between contrasting textures and flavors, thanks to the joyful playing field created by imagination, we can easily forget all dietary concerns and abandon ourselves to a carefree enjoyment of life. I suggest this recipe for an after-work drink with friends, perhaps Friday night, when the stress of the work week drains away quickly to the bright and colorful presentation of these playful dishes. Note: This recipe and its set design were created during the advertisement campaign to promote the Alessia brand (L’Alì - Accessories and Apparel).
MESON’S
Cocktail
Sunny
AFTERNOON
INGREDIENTS Serves 2 people
4 cl lime juice 4 cl pomegranate juice 2 tablespoons of fresh blueberries 2 cl Triple Sec (or Cointreau) 6 cl London Dry Gin 1 33 cl bottle of light ale beer (or Pale Lager) 4 lime slices
PREPARATION Squeeze lime and, in the case of fresh pomegranate, also the pomegranate (procedure is the same for any citrus fruit). Filter both juices in a shaker, add blueberries, Triple Sec and Gin, fill with ice, close and shake heartily. Pour in two tall glasses (be careful to equally distribute blueberries!), decorate with lime slices and fill the rest of the glass with beer. Thirst-quenching but not excessively refreshing, this cocktail is perfect for mid-seasons in which, on a beautiful sunny day with clear skies, no one feels like sitting inside sipping a tea. It is better to go outside in the garden and initiate a game in the open air. Be careful, however, not to get too undressed‌ rather, sip a Sunny Afternoon and cool off!
Album DYNAMO by Soda Stereo Soda Stereo is an Argentine rock band, pioneer in the experimental music of Latin America. Dynamo is considered a point of reference for many musicians and bands, not only from an experimental point of view but also for the high quality and musical virtuosity demonstrated in the composition of this album, which has established itself as a fundamental piece in Latin rock history. Enjoy listening!
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MY WAY
OUR CULINARY SECTION
Creativity
IS NOT TAUGHT… BUT ‘‘ENCOURAGED” Was Einstein creative? And Darwin? Probably. Both possessed natural talents or gifts that are not seen in today’s society. But these gifts do not function without effort or through unexpected intuition. Intuition is the final stage of a long process. Darwin produced his (creative) theory after 20 years of heated study. Einstein was very young, of course, but
he produced his theories only after he fully understood existing theories (and this was no easy task, I imagine). Actually, the first step towards innovation is a deep understanding of the environment in which we find ourselves. We often consider a simple varied combination of common elements as original, maybe presented in an elegant graphic or jumble of complicated terms. Many consultants and scholars thrive on this… but in order to go beyond, one must look at the constructive elements of the existing environment and the limits placed on it. One mustn’t think that they are obstacles. On the contrary, these are what make creativity possible. It is the combination between limits and unpredictability, between familiarity and surprise that ignite the creative light bulb. The effort to rethink the elements in an environment in order to go beyond them produces original thought. It is that idea that cannot be explained by previous laws because it turns them upside down and defies them. We could say that the difference between Mozart and any other musician is attributed to a better understanding of the structural characteristics of the context.
MESON’S
If there are few hopes of finding an Einstein in your business, you can do something so that the environment does not suffocate, but rather stimulates our normally skilled workers. Stress is another negative conditioning factor: one cannot produce innovation under pressure. Being too involved in a problem does not allow you to view it with the necessary detachment, to play with its constituent elements as a child would do, turning them upside down. Routine, but above all too radical ideas and convictions, impedes creativity energies from flowing. We shouldn’t allow conventions to seem untouchable. In order to be remarkably
creative we need to have an open mind to even the most diverse stimuli, even and above all, those that
come from beyond our own field. Those who have multiple interests increase the probability that these different stimuli will recombine themselves in the mind to produce, even if not by stroke of genius, at least some sort of new useful idea. Therefore, relaxing your mind is fundamental: hobbies, sport, and pastimes rejuvenate a productive mind. However, more particularly (I can imagine that this advice will be greatly appreciated), we shouldn’t work too much. An overworked brain is not creative. Creativity needs redundancy, unused mental resources, time to wander in search of something. We cannot be creative by contract from 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm. Often organizations form teams of “creative people”, people given the role of inspiring creativity. This way they protect themselves from instability that creativity could generate, though explicitly promoting it. But this is the right way to go! The environment in which we live, physical and psychological, should be comfortable and functional. Technology can help if we always remember that it is only a way but not the mean. You probably cannot teach creativity, but it is possible to create favorable conditions so that each person feels free to be, in the limits of their own possibilities, a small Darwin.
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Was Einstein creative? and Darwin? Probably. ce confiden lf e s f o k lac ue and a rom supporting q ti i r c f o ne f Fear nt someo that, initially, e v e r p n ca e idea types and v o ti e r a v te o s n th n i w an i usly clash e. o i v b o ll i g w e to chan resistanc
Actually towards , the first step deep undinnovation is a of the en erstanding which wevironment in find ours elves.
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You live you as if it w masterp Gabriele D’Annunzio
u must ur life were a piece.