On The Ground In Milan: Jonathan Richards

For Jonathan Richards, co-founder of design studio Richards Stanisich, Salone del Mobile is an injection of inspiration and reinvigoration of ideas that stays with him for many months after the fact.

Have you been to Milan before?

Yes – I generally attend every second year.

Why do you go?

It’s a big indulgence to immerse yourself for a week of great design. Running a design studio is largely about managing a business – taking a week out of the schedule to surround yourself in sheer creativity is extremely rewarding and it ultimately benefits our team and our projects.

What was your favourite installation?

I was completely taken by the work of Elisa Ossino! She designed a beautiful new range of stoneware for Savatori Stone and designed and curated an apartment installation called Perfect Darkness – a demonstration of how to tile beautifully. The apartment she has designed for Gabriele Salvatori in Milan is also a knock out. She is consistently incredible.

I also visited the outstanding Villa Necchi for the first time. Every room in this inner city palazzo is just extraordinary. It’s located in a very elegant old-money neighbourhood of Milan and as I was leaving I looked in to a neighbours garden to see a flock of resident flamingos posturing on the lawn.

What was your favourite stand at the fair grounds?

Molteni & C. The development of the brand under Vincent Van Duysen has made it ever more refined and beautifully resolved. I was impressed by the depth of the design and layering of materials and details.

What was your rose of the week?

A Milanese veal schnitzel at the Prada Marchesi café with a glass of vino. Admittedly I was exhausted and anything would have done … but I had a moment.

And thorn?

The crowds! The queues are hectic. And the trains from the fair grounds are jammed. It’s a magnificent atmosphere but that many people can be overwhelming.

Are you coming back next year?

I’ll do my best to make it happen.

Richards Stanisich
richardsstanisich.com.au

Portrait by Felix Forest

Tags: Architeture, Design Fair, Desing, Elisa Ossino, euroluce, Felix Forest, furniture design, Jonathan Richards, Lighting design, Milan Fair, Molteni & C, Prada Marchesi café, Richards Stanisich, Salone 2019, Salone del Mobile Milan, Savatori Stone, Villa Necchi, Vincent Van Duysen