Start Something: Collectioni
Author:Abigail StoneCollectioni, a new lighting, accessory and furniture showroom on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, taps interior designer Cesar Giraldo to create a stunning platform for the brand’s modern, global designs
The historic 1920 Cadillac dealership on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, where Elvis Presley once bought his cars, has been transformed in a sprawling emporium showcasing exclusive pieces from designers ranging from Yves Klein, Marcel Wanders, Chrstiophe Pillet and Karim Rashid. Many of the designs are exclusive to the store.
For interior designer Cesar Giraldo, who was tasked with culling four shipping containers worth of furniture, accessories and lighting, the dilemma was in how to knit this grouping of spectacular pieces into a cohesive and beautiful whole yet one where the individual pieces would still be able to shine.
“No changes could be made to the room because of the building’s historical designation,” notes Giraldo who worked on the design alongside architect Anna Nikitina. “So you’re walking into a big open space without any layers.” A flamboyant wallpaper had to come down. The walls and the floor were lacquered white, the ceiling a rich black. The blank canvas washes the space with the gravitas of a museum.
A second challenge came in the form of inventory; Giraldo was tasked with whittling down four containers of offerings. “There had to be a sense of a conversation happening from one space and one grouping to another. Collection carries over two dozen brands from all over the globe but mostly from Italy, including the Yves Klein tables and the Slamp collection of lighting.”
The three styles of Yves Klein tables — in blue and pink pigment and gold leaf — are here. A trio of Talfa C6 Wall Mirrors dance on one wall, flirting with Lorenza Bozzoli’s La Lollo lamp. Here, Paolo Calcagni Luigina chair in pink; there, a cluster of Plopp stools. “Although they are very different, the pieces communicate with each other yet there is a relationship design-wise so that it’s pleasing to the eye,” Giraldo shares.
Collectioni, 9030 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 90211, CA, 310.734. 7492
