Please welcome to architect, interior designer and blogger Elisabetta Rizzato, who will be taking us on a trip to her hometown of Venice, Italy, where we’ll stop by some of her favorite haunts to check out contemporary Ventian style.

In the eyes of a careless observer, the city of Venice might seem like a place that has remained unchanged over the centuries: waterways, streets (“calli”), ancient buildings, everything seems to be indifferent to the passage of time.

But there are many examples of how Venice shows its link with contemporary times: In new architectures, places, commercial activities, art, design and in the people who live and study there. In particular, I would like to talk about some shops in Venice that either demonstrate modernity while maintaining continuity with the past or that have a clear break with the past.

The first category includes numerous examples of how old products or new interpretations of old forms are reproduced and sold in our times; one of the most interesting examples is certainly Venetia Studium, whose main store is located a few steps from San Marco square. Venetia Studium speaks the ancient language of elegance and good taste – rich fabrics, high craftsmanship and attention to detail are the characteristics of the products sold in the store, with a wide range of home furnishings and clothing accessories .

The store also contains the famous Fortuny lamp. A timeless design object, it’s a floor lamp that turned 100 years old in 2007. It was designed by Marià Fortuny Madrazo, also known by the name Mariano Fortuny (Granada, May 11, 1871 – Venice, May 3, 1949), a Spanish painter, designer and set designer. The lamp is considered as one of the most interesting products in the history of industrial design and it has revolutionized the world of lighting, thanks to the special lighting effect it produces – the bulb is turned inward and is projected on a fabric used for reflection. More than a lamp it is a great light projector, which in its dynamic lines evokes a confidence in the future and modernity that make it contemporary.

I stumbled by chance in an upcoming opening of the new store, located on a street side to the Peggy Guggenheim museum:

A shop that always attracts my attention for its clean cut from the past is called Fiorella Gallery and is located at the corner of Campo Santo Stefano, a short walk from the Accademia Bridge. From its windows you can perceive the huge contrast with the surrounding environment: – bright colors, neon and works of irreverent art appear from the traditional architectures of plaster and brick of the field.

Inside, there are unique pieces from contemporary artists and irreverent designers, including works by Gaetano Pesce, Ettore Sottsass, Rod Dudley, Still and works of the owner, Fiorella Mancini. The store has been around since the 1960s and has a very interesting history.

To see more of Elisabetta’s beautiful inspirations and learn more about her work, be sure to visit er interior design.

by Anne Sage of The City Sage

In the chaos and disorganization of life, there are two constants. One: Polka dots and feathers make everything better. Two: When in doubt, cover it in paper. In a recent attempt to get my odds ‘n’ ends under control, I put both rules to into effect—with great success!

I adore the look of boxes that have been customized using fabric or wrapping paper, but those materials can get expensive. So I grabbed some fabric remnants from a previous project, scanned them, printed the images on regular paper, and used it to cover my box lids. I bought my boxes at OfficeMax and disguised their sides using craft paper, but also try Ikea or an art supply store. Heck, you could even give your old, mismatched shoe boxes a new life!

I’m so thrilled with the result that I want everyone to be able to replicate the look—so I’ve shared a download that allows you to print both of these patterns and their accompanying labels! The PDF prints on 11 x 17 size paper, which covers a medium lid, but you can also print on smaller paper and join multiple pieces as needed. As for the technique I used to cover the lids, just paste the paper in place with a glue stick, then fold and trim the edges as though you were wrapping a present. Happy organizing!

?Dots

Peacock Feathers

by Erin Doland of Unclutterer

I have an affinity for books that borders on an addiction. I usually read three books a week or more, and those books come in many forms — audio, digital, checked out from the library, and purchased. Even with relying heavily on audio, digital, and library books, I continually fight book clutter in my home.

If you’re a bibliophile like me, you may have more printed books than you can (or should) store in your home. Try these five tips from Unclutter Your Life in One Week to decide which books to keep and which ones to let go:

1. Give away any books that you don’t plan on reading or referencing again, are in the public domain, and can be found in their entirety online.
2. Keep the leather-bound copy of The Scarlet Letter that your grandmother gave you on her deathbed.
3. Give away or recycle out-of-date reference books. They’re full of inaccurate data.
4. Keep books that you love and books that provide you with significant utility.
5. Give away books that you’ve been storing for the sole purpose of impressing your houseguests. If you’ve never read the complete works of Shakespeare, and you never plan to read the complete works of Shakespeare, get rid of the complete works of Shakespeare.

These tips also work well for books you may be storing in your office at work. Unless you are an executive with office walls lined with bookshelves, you might be sacrificing valuable storage space with books you never reference. Keep the books you regularly need, and take home, sell, or recycle the others.

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Erin Rooney Doland is Editor-in-Chief of Unclutterer.com and author of the book Unclutter Your Life in One Week.