storied ii: segreto
One of our first partnerships in Italy began more than 30 years ago. I had been traveling through Northern Italy to meet with another potential partner, who suggested it would be worth my time to take the small detour required to meet Rino, a furniture builder, painter, and antique collector.
I found myself as moved by his work as I was by Rino himself. Hands in constant motion as he told stories, his head thrown back in laughter, Rino and I talked about the importance of craftsmanship and family as his young daughters played nearby.
We curated a small assortment of tables and cabinets that would eventually become known as our Bell’Arte Collection, and it wasn’t long before our customers fell in love with the lived-in look and whimsical, hand-painted detailing of Rino’s work. It was unlike anything they had ever seen—and the incredible quality couldn’t be found anywhere else.
Over the years, as we added more artisan partners, our Italian Collection gradually expanded to include gold-leaf lighting that glistens with hand-tied crystals, the expressive forms and inviting curves of hand-built seating, and so much more. Each handcrafted piece reflected the spirit of Italy—and echoed our commitment to the artistry of its makers.
Somewhere along the way, over the course of years and visits and lingering, pass-the-plate dinners, those makers started to feel more like friends…and eventually, like family. We were welcomed, arms open, into sun-dappled studios and bustling workshops. To see. To explore. To share and be inspired. This is, after all, the Italian way… and I believe it can be felt and seen in every piece we offer to this day.
Rino is still creating the pieces of our Bell’Arte Collection, by the way. Only now, his daughters are working beside him, carefully preserving the artistry they share. It’s this artistry that I am so proud to share with you—the same artistry that takes me back to Italy again and again, even if only in my mind.
JOHN REED, ARHAUS CO-FOUNDER
STORIES OF OUR ITALY
Presenting Bellissimo Segreto
Join us on a journey across Italy, visiting artisan partners whose stories are as remarkable as the pieces they create.
A Golden Thread
In a century-old textile mill near Lake Como, where a single thread connects passion and place, artisan weavers carry forth a tapestry of tradition.
The Essence of Yesterday
Brushstrokes as charming as the man who laid them. Here, in his work and words, a painter shares the sun-dappled soul of his beloved studio.
Flowers Meant For Sky
Expressed in gold leaf and sparkling, hand-tied crystals, four artisan-partners forge chandeliers with a deep and lasting love.
The Embrace of Centuries
Generations of craftsmen sketch, cut, assemble, stain, and upholster, carrying the legacies of those who came before them.
The Echo of the Hills
Winding up a steep, narrow road in Carrara, distant mountaintops trace the sky. Holding high a supply of marbled treasure.
The Artistry of Our Italy
Crafted beyond compare and curated over decades, John Reed reflects on more than 30 years of the Arhaus Italian Collection.