Fine Gifts and Italian Dinnerware | La Bella Vita | Historic Little Italy, Cleveland Ohio

Art Walk Fine Art Feature!

Come enjoy the sunshine and color of Tuscany! Just finished up a new mural for a new room at La Bella Vita. Come on down during the Art Walk in June and see my new collection of Italian landscape paintings created exclusively for La Bella Vita.  Michael Romeo.

La Bella Vita Cleveland’s Expansion into Tuscany!

La Bella Vita’s new Tuscan Room…

After a month of removing and building new walls, La Bella Vita’s expansion project is now seeing the fruits of its labors.  Shelves are going in, painting is underway and the total vision is beginning to peak through the plaster and dust and paint cans.  The wonderful benefit of all of this work is the improved traffic flow.  We eliminated two bottle neck room and picked up more shoppable spaces! The new space will allow for better and more accessible display of our glassware and our Tuscan serve ware.  And, Private wine tastings and private parties will be much easier now!

The original space was divided into two rooms.  One we used for storage and had painted a very dark mural when we opened 8 years ago.  The other space had a wet bar and arches that opened up to a very shallow area where we displayed glassware.  The wet bar area was painted to look like barn, red brick.  We knocked out the wall that separated the glass room from the storage room.  We are in the process of repainting all of the walls and building shelves to accommodate glassware.  The transformation is going to be great!  Take a look at the beginning stages.  We’ll keep you posted.

Top Hit From the Tableware Show…

We have thousands of visitors passing through our store every year and I always  want to remind, update and introduce them to the new, the favorites and the facts about our products.  We video tape everything now.  It is impossible to touch and talk to everyone that passes through our store, so maybe we can have a chat to catch up through our blog. Last month we were at the NY Tableware Show and we visited our manufactures of our fine dinnerware and interviewed them about their new introductions.

This video is about Juliska’s tableware  from Portugal.  As in most industries, certain countries do certain things better than others. There are several importers that specialize in bringing wonderful Portuguese stoneware dinnerware and bake ware into the US and distributing the product through better specialty stores. The solid color patterns range in style and boast rich glazing that emulates the smooth finish of porcelain, but incorporates the “topography” of less refined pottery that allows for artistic workmanship in clay.  All of the products are microwave, dishwasher and oven safe and chip resistant. This dinnerware is ideal for a busy lifestyle that moves fast and wants high style. Obviously, this product is a big hit in the market and one that you will see for a long time.  It will be interesting to watch the industry as stoneware designs evolve and continue to take on a larger role in the tableware business.  La Bella Vita brides create formal and informal registries selecting one pattern or a mix of patterns.  Each piece is made to last for the generations to come in style and durability.

David Gooding, founder of the sophisticated tableware company, Juliska, is a connoisseur of  European grace and knows how to bring it to the US market using the Portuguese stoneware medium.  I will say no more.  Here’s a snippet…a spot…a brilliant show of Juliska with David Gooding at the NY show…

Ciao,

Barbara

Caio,  Barbara

How to Create a Tuscan Table Design.

Hi!

I have a bride in Tampa Florida who is giving a family style polenta party Sat. She has Juliska, berry & thread, dinnerware in white and blue and wanted LBV (La Bella Vita) to accessorize the table to make it warm and Tuscan! The key to table design is to not make things match and get lost in more of the same design or color. It’s all about contrasts and the quantity & weight you allow with the accents to draw the eye. If that makes sense, great! If it doesn’t, think of how you dress. A lot of big, chunky jewelry on a simple black dress. If it is black and has a lot of texture, that is one look and will alter the texture of the once simple black dress. If it is red, black and green…think about it. If it is white and not a lot…maybe just a necklace…chic. If it is white and a necklace, bracelet and earrings…it may look like you have bandages on and you are in a shroud. When you change it to metallic without texture visual the possibilities.

In table design, you need to think about many things, but let’s narrow it down to  color, texture, pattern, lighting, quantity and scale. The elements you are working with are the table itself (including the cloth), the dishes, the serving pieces, the accessories and don’t forget…THE FOOD!  Start with your background and the elements that you have to use.  Decide what the prevailing theme or “feel” you want for the table when it is “showtime.”  Watch this demonstration and see how we go from white to a warm, tuscan feel.  I had to use whatever I had in the store, so create with me and add your own ideas to accomplish a similar feel.

Video: Incredible Serve Ware Find From South Africa!

Last week I was at the NY International Tableware & Gift show, and I selected this incredible new product from South Africa for a La Bella Vita April 2010 introduction. Dinnerware trends continue to explore the artistic interpretation of the flower into ceramics. Artistic serving pieces add character to the table and become heirlooms that last through generations. This new find is the ultimate in beauty with an amazing durability story. You’ve got to see this one…Introducing Mustardseed and Moonshine dinnerware-serve ware . ETA in store: Late April 2010. Learn and see more of the product on our Mustardseed and Moonshine Product Page!

All of you are asking…”Where in the heck is this going in the store!”  No problem friends!  Next week, we are knocking walls out for a new expansion.  There are so many beautiful products in this exclusive market of artistic serve ware and that is what we present to you.  You see it here first!  Stay tuned for more market videos and a reality video of the renovation!

Also, a big inspiration to our creative display comes from our customer’s ideas.  Our dinnerware and serve ware is all about creating a lifestyle statement…Mix, mix and mix…not mix and match…Creating an eclectic visual style and how to do it without looking like a flea market.  Lot’s of ideas, videos and  you are part of  it!!!  Bring it on!

Stay tuned and tell me your latest idea and let’s make it a trend!

Ciao! Barbara