Eaton Square is one of those London addresses that everyone knows; each white stuccoed façade is embedded in history. Politician Neville Chamberlain lived at number 37 in the 1920s and 1930s, before becoming prime minister; James Bond is its most famous fictional denizen, and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber was a more recent celebrity resident. The Georgian doorways on this elegant garden square have welcomed the rich, the famous, and the feared.
Before its development starting in the 1820s, what is now Eaton Square was part of a no-man’s-land frequented by robbers, highwaymen, and gentlemen fighting duels. Today it’s hard to imagine such a raucous scene. On a subdued morning in May, the square feels COVID-era quiet; few cars, few people, only an elderly lady, exiting a grand porch and stepping into a quietly purring Rolls-Royce. And on an upper-floor apartment lounging on an aubergine-colored velvet sofa are Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci of Italian design firm Dimorestudio.
Around them are Chinese porcelains, Murano lighting, sumptuous gold cushions, huge vases of flowers, opulent curtains. It’s like we’ve stepped from James Bond’s pavements to the salons of Federico Fellini via the Ming dynasty and midcentury Italy. Nothing about the apartment feels British apart from the cornicing and the Fromental wallpaper. “The space was very ‘real estate,’ ” says Moran. “It was a plain box with very traditional architectural elements,” and since, the duo avers, they “never design specifically to a country,” they set to work, sourcing and making everything with their handpicked team of craftspeople in Italy.
Due in part to the pandemic and the rigorous planning rules imposed by the Grosvenor Estate to which most of Eaton Square belongs, the renovation took almost 10 years. The client discovered Dimorestudio online. “The collaboration started almost by chance,” Moran recalls, “from simple interest in a lamp they had seen. That small spark quickly grew into this full project.”
Now, several standout pieces define the character of the 4,300-square-foot space, not least spectacular vintage lighting: A Venini chandelier in the dining room is a striking centerpiece; wall lamps by Barovier & Toso bring a sculptural quality to the entryway; there’s a set of five lamps by Pietro Chiesa, and a FontanaArte confection in pink and mirrored glass from 1955. “Many pieces are rare and precious, carefully positioned to punctuate the interiors with refined, curated moments of beauty,” says Moran. Having established their firm more than 20 years ago, the pair have long made and sold their own furniture, textiles, and lighting alongside prized midcentury pieces by the likes of Gio Ponti, Carlo Scarpa, and Carlo Bugatti. If there is anything signature about their style, it is their ability to blend midcentury and contemporary in a way that feels subtly Italian.
“Our aesthetic is not so much Milanese, it’s more Tuscan,” says Salci, who grew up in Tuscany, and worked in his father’s furniture showroom in the city of Arezzo. Renaissance painter and art historian Giorgio Vasari also hailed from Arezzo, and Dimorestudio takes great inspiration from “his use of greens.” In fact, Salci notes, “We incorporated greens inspired by Vasari throughout this apartment in a subtle but intentional way—in textiles, furniture, and decorative details.”
Indeed, the Belgravia apartment is a rich, layered tapestry of soft colors and lighting—a stark contrast to the muted hues offered by the drizzly day outside. It has a cinematic feel and is filled with dramatic visual moments. The duo are masters of creating atmosphere. (In a theatrical flourish, when initial designs are ready, Salci often invites clients to the studio for a dramatic “unveiling”: He presents them with a box of photos and samples, and they leave with a beautiful hardback book of mood board images.)
At last spring’s Milan Furniture Fair, Dimorestudio collaborated with Loro Piana to create an installation of a 1970s- and ’80s-style residence. Visitors lined up for hours to see the show. Entering through the foyer of a fictional vintage cinema, visitors progressed from room to room accompanied by a carefully curated soundtrack. Would they like to do film sets? “Absolutely,” says Moran. “If we are asked.” It feels like it’s only a matter of time.
For several years now, Dimorestudio’s happenings have been the most talked-about at the annual fair, the ones with the longest lines and the biggest fans. “Salone is a very special event for us,” says Moran. “It’s the time when we have complete creative freedom.” The event this April will mark the studio’s 20th anniversary, and expectations are high.
While all the Italian maestri, particularly of the midcentury, are creative touchstones, if they had to pick, it’s the late Venetian architect Carlo Scarpa who they revere most. “Scarpa is a wonderful reference in terms of use of space,” says Moran. “He considered everything; every tiny detail.” As if on cue, Salci rises and heads to the apartment’s kitchen where the photographer is shooting. He looks around, moves a vase a little to the left; moves it back; stands back and nods.
This story appears in the AD100 issue. Never miss a story when you subscribe to AD.
