Marea 55x41 Coffee Table

Based in Milan, Bernhardt & Vella was founded in 2008 by the German designer Ellen Bernhardt and the Italian interior designer Paola Vella. Their starting point is research as a maieutic (or Socratic) process: they assert that ideas can take cues from the art world, from the masters of the past and from architecture. From this starting point they create a recognisable style that is original and personal.

“When we start to think of a new project we think of it by projecting it into a hypothetical space. Working often on projects of different scale, from the object to the booths and houses, it is natural to think about the use of the object or vice versa. We like to create surprising contrasts: experimenting with colour in all its facets, neon light with antique paintings, precious fabrics with industrial resin, and antique furniture with extravagant plants.”