A fireplace detail illustrates Umberto Pasti’s gift for mixing the precious with the earthy in his interiors.
Antique ceramics, filled with the colours of the Mediterranean, surround a handsome gilt mirror above an Islamic folk cabinet bedecked with tassels; the chandelier in the sitting room in the 1950s pavilion was fashioned by a local craftsman from an old wooden star that once hung in a mosque, and pieces of Roman glass; textiles collected from around the world are layered to great effect in this salon where cards are played after dinner.
The Moroccan port of Tangier, a whitewashed haven away from the constraints of Europe, has always drawn characters searching for the freedom to create their own paradise. From the moment he set foot in the region, Milanese-born horticulturalist and writer Umberto Pasti fell under the spell of its siren call. His novel, The Age of Flowers, about a man who, overwhelmed by the storms of life, shrouds himself in a beautiful North African garden, could be viewed as a case of life imitating art. Although he notes that, in most of his books, he talks about the destruction of nature by men'.
Denne historien er fra August 2022-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
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Denne historien er fra August 2022-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Collecting Dioramas MINIATURE WORLDS
From elaborate taxidermy museum displays to humble folk art creations, a diorama can transport us to another time and place
Pride of place LEEDS CREAMWARE
In its heyday the pre-eminent rival to Wedgwood's Queens ware, Leeds creamware is still much revered by collectors for its understated elegance
Bohemian Rhapsody
An exuberant approach to decor, with rooms enveloped in colour and pattern, has brought this historic home merrily into the 21st century...
THE ANTIQUES THAT SHAPED ME Rory Hutton
The accessories designer on his love of silver spoons and Sévres porcelain
European HERITAGE B&Bs
Is there anything more inspiring than staying somewhere that's both beautifully stylish and imbued with history? Rhiannon Batten explores five gems across Europe, from Sweden to Spain...
STAR SALES
A Hitchens painting, a museum-quality teapot and a Parisian chocolate box are all top of the lots
Textile designs by artists
Influential 20th-century fine artists and sculptors, from Picasso to Barbara Hepworth, gained additional status as textile designers until decline set in during the 1970s
Period DRAMA
A painstaking renovation has brought this 1725 former Huguenot silk weaver's house in London's Spitalfields back to life
An artist's RESIDENCE
Rustic details and a restrained palette lend a sense of simplicity to this lovingly restored Friesian bakery
Carefully Curated LIVING
This lovingly restored Gustavian manor has become both home and showroom for its owners, Maria & Jan Åke, who deal in European antiques