Designer Spotlight | Alessi and Laufen

BEHIND THE DESIGN #3

SPOTLIGHT ON THE DESIGNERS: LAUFEN HARNESSES THE TIMELESS ALLURE OF ALESSI.

So many delicious dishes are made even more toothsome by the fascinating and intriguing stories that swirl around their origin and development. Like the one about an excessively hungover banker called Lemuel Benedict who staggered into the Waldorf Astoria and asked the chef to create something more than just eggs and bacon to heal his throbbing head. The miracle ingredient was hollandaise sauce. And so, everyone’s dream Sunday brekkie was born. Now that you know... your next Eggs Benni will be a truly special eggs and bacon experience and will forever taste ‘eggstra’. Because once you know, you know.

Added flavour from the backstory elevates everyday dishes. In much the same way, a deeper appreciation and connection comes from immersion in the tales of craftsmanship, creativity and thoughtfulness that distinguish great design and imbue it with an eternal attraction. All the superb investment pieces in your nearest Italtile Showroom are richly storied. And many of them have started out life in the hallowed studios of the world’s most awarded designers and design houses. All of them are iconic. Like our limited-edition LAUFEN ALESSI COUNTERTOP BOWL, from the signature Il BagnoAlessi Collection.

The Alessi firm was founded in 1921. It began as a foundry in Omegna in Piedmont, Italy, and was owned and run by a humble (but hugely talented) sheet metal worker called Giovanni Alessi Anghini. Here, he created tableware in copper, brass and nickel silver, which was then electroplated. Like all the best success stories, the Alessi foundry grew in size and stature, and by 1924 the little company was already increasing its offering to include coffee pots, trays, and other useful household items. And the rest, as they say, is history. Today, an Alessi piece is everyone’s dream must-have.

Q: How do you know your friends have an Alessi kettle, or bottle opener, or biscuit box?

A: They tell you.

That’s the power of the Alessi name. It says something about the homeowner who has invested in it. Of course, we were being a bit flippant about Alessi ownership, but honestly, we do the same thing. Alessi pieces are anecdotal. Why? The Alessi brand house has built its name on collaboration with designers who have something of the magician about them. Abracadabra... and ordinary daily rituals are transformed into meaningful and significant moments. Whether it’s the whistling of your Alessi Gas Kettle with that cute little bird, designed by Michael Graves. Or the iconic sci-fi style Alessi Juicy Salif Citrus Squeezer by Philippe Starck. Or the utterly charming Alessi Mary Biscuit Box with its vanilla-scented, biscuit-shaped lid designed by Stefano Giovannoni.

And, speaking of Stefano Giovannoni, we segue back into the exploration of his breathtaking LAUFEN Alessi White Counter Top Bowl with Ceramic Drain. An award-winning piece that showcases his unparalleled talent and gift for innovation.

Because, honestly, this is like no basin you’ve ever experienced. It’s a swoosh. A glide on a snowy slope. Or... whatever tone poem or image it ignites in your imagination.

Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, this counter top bowl reflects the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship. Made from Saphirkeramik, LAUFEN's revolutionary ‘hard-as-nails’ ceramic material that contains sapphire corundum, developed to enable the thinnest, slimmest ceramic moulding, and in so doing, redefine durability and elegance. The glossy white finish adds a touch of sophistication, seamlessly blending with a variety of design aesthetics, from classic to modernist.

The innovative design features of the LAUFEN Alessi Counter Top Bowl set it apart. The absence of an overflow and tap hole creates a clean and sleek appearance, while the integrated rotatable shelf adds functionality and style. The incorporation of LCC (LAUFEN Clean Coat) ensures easy cleaning, maintaining the pristine look of the bowl effortlessly. Like all our eco-chic LAUFEN pieces, Stefano Giovannoni’s Countertop Bowl carries our LiveGreen label.

Being able to bring you gorgeous, award-winning, richly storied investment pieces to elevate your home spaces is the greatest joy of our lives and our everyday passion. And it’s all thanks to a longstanding relationship with LAUFEN, forged back in the day, decades ago, that we have the privilege to put on display a selection of LAUFEN’s finest offerings, as Italtile exclusives, for your eyes only.

You’ll find the peerless LAUFEN Alessi Counter Top Bowl among other objects of desire in the LAUFEN MASTERCRAFT COLLECTION at your nearest Italtile Showroom. Armed with the story and the history, you’ll be able to appreciate it all the more.

Live beautifully.

Ciao.