DECORATING | ROOMS & GARDENS | CABANA MAGAZINE
A Cortina Christmas with Osanna Visconti
Designer, maker and consummate host Osanna Visconti casts exquisitely detailed objects from natural bronze using the lost wax technique. Many of them decorate, and illuminate, her tables during lively gatherings in Milan and Cortina. She invites Cabana into her beautiful home and shares the details of her holiday tables this festive season.
ROOMS & GARDENS | 21 NOVEMBER 2024
Designer Osanna Visconti, pictured with her holiday table in Cortina, Italy.
How do you create atmosphere and mood when hosting at home?
It depends on where we are and what the occasion is.
If we’re in the countryside and it’s a BBQ, then it’s a bit more rustic. If we’re in the mountains and it’s a Christmas dinner, then it’s very “wintery” and more formal. I like to interpret the occasion with a sense of irony, which is reflected in the atmosphere.
How do you make your tables stand out?
I like to use sculptures and objects from my personal collections. Depending on the occasion, I might also add a new bronze piece that I’ve just made or some of my favorite flowers in one of my bronze vases.
Are there any personal touches you rely on, such as personalized place names or menus?
Not usually; however, there’s a first time for everything!
A seated dinner or pre-dinner drinks party, what's your preference?
I prefer a seated dinner with a twist: I put everyone’s name in a bronze bowl, and they have to pick their place. This ensures people are always meeting someone new!
Any failsafe tips for the nervous or reluctant host?
Have a tequila shot and relax! There’s nothing worse than a very nervous host.
Three words you would use to describe your hosting style?
Welcoming, unpretentious, and lighthearted.
Do you have any favorite color and pattern combinations?
Having worked with bronze for over 20 years, my favorite color has become the color of this material. It’s warm and deep, alternating light and darkness. I would combine the color of bronze with patterns that recall the world of nature.
Your favorite seasonal flowers to style your table with?
If I had to choose, I’d select spring for the variety of flowers. However, I also love autumn’s flowers and leaves, whose colors I find very elegant.
Do you create a playlist for events?
I don’t usually have a set playlist for events, but if I were to create one, the first song would probably be Otis Redding’s (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay.
the edit
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