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LATOxLATO Reimagines Cultural Touchstones

LATOxLATO is the brainchild of architects and partners Francesco Breganze and Virginia Valentini who design furniture and objets d’art full of personality and Italian heritage. Each piece is made near their home in Vicenza by artisans who have been practicing for generations, fully showing the passion they have for their Italian roots, art, and architecture.

LATOxLATO’s first collection of furnishings and objects were created with the idea of contemporary luxury in mind using natural and precious materials. Each piece manages to tell its own story through unusual designs that reimagine cultural touchstones.

You’ll see inspiration from the 1950s straightaway in Aracne, an unconventional coffee table with a round glass top and eight wooden legs. It somehow feels both solid and airy at the same time through its silhouette.

Four arched ceramic vases – Marcello, Massimo and Vittorio – give a nod to Italy’s Palladian villas and palaces. Precious 24k gold or platinum on the interior of each arch helps to create reflection and movement.

The Fourmosa storage chest can function as a side table, magazine rack, or credenza. Its clean, 45-degree angled lines break up into four container elements: shelves, doors, magazine racks, and drawers that can fit together a number of ways without the use of joints. Each of the varnished oak elements can also be used on its own

The Sophia table centerpiece was inspired by the great piazzas of the città d’arte, Italy’s “Cities of Art,” and presents itself as a scale model. The abstract form mimics the arches and porticoes of Renaissance architecture and is a beautiful study in proportion.

Made from one block of solid marble, the Vestalia candleholder is elegant without even trying. Its multiple moveable hinged parts allow it to open into various configurations – a sculptural, dynamic candelabra – that recalls Rationalist architecture of the 1930s.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.