Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1498289
A glamorous new kitchen showroom by way of Italy has arrived in Houston: Azzurri Casa has opened in the Shops at Arrive River Oaks, at Kirby and Westheimer. The family-run business has roots in Udine in Northern Italy, with a patriarch who was a carpenter and fine furniture maker dating back 90 years. In 2017, descendants Glaucio Saciloto and Carlos Sampaio opened a showroom in Boca Raton and a manufacturing arm in Deerfield with a state-of-the-art computerized process, one of the largest in the states. Exquisite European-style functional kitchens, closets, bathrooms, and wine rooms are on display in the stunning new Houston showroom, which will play host to cooking demonstrations. Azzurri Casa makes the best of both worlds, with European design and shorter lead times thanks to U.S. manufacturing. Case in point: Azzurri Casa partnered with Monogram in 2020 to feature the appliances in their showroom due to Monogram's high design standards and the fact that the appliances are made in the U.S. Clients can seamlessly order refrigerators, cooktops, ranges, dishwashers, and wine coolers, plumbing fixtures, hardware, and sinks from Monogram, as well as Fulgor Milano, and ZLine via the showroom. Azzurri Casa also partners with Cosentino for sustainable and durable surfaces. Azzurri Casa, Shops at Arrive River Oaks, 2800 Kirby Dr., azzurrikitchens.com. Anne Lee Phillips OBSESSIONS. DECORATION. SALIENT FACTS. Carmen McNall's Vessels and Universes #5, 2023, at Dimmitt Contemporary Art SLEEK DESIGN IS SERVED A recent visit to Hollywood Square dealer Dimmitt Contemporary Art yielded a unique discovery: the paintings of California Bay Area-based Carmen McNall. A darling of the tech sector, this 2021 Google artist in residence and 2018 Facebook artist in residence has produced installations for each brand's corporate HQ, as well as murals for the Four Seasons Napa Valley and San Francisco's Mission District. McNall also creates more intimately scaled works, which move beyond mere paint on canvas: Her acrylic-on-hand-carved panels pair painting with wood carving, mirroring her BFA in printmaking and painting. A recent addition to the Dimmitt stable, her contemplative works starring women wardrobed in highly patterned garments, their faces unseen, speak to the archetype of the divine feminine. McNall writes in her mission statement: "These timeless pieces represent humanity and hold personal power, providing strength in times of struggle, telling fragments of intimate stories and moments in time." $5,600 to $7,800, at Dimmitt Contemporary Art, 3637 W. Alabama, dimmittcontemporaryart.com. Catherine D. Anspon U nstoppably stylish Natalie Steen of The Nat Note, a weekly blog delivering shoppable fashion and home, has launched an ongoing collaboration with Fleur, the New Orleans-based atelier founded by portrait artist Natalie Erwin. Steen, based in Houston, brings exuberant room designs with Fleur DISCOVERY: CARMEN McNALL AT DIMMITT CONTEMPORARY THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS products to readers. Fleur's customizable mirrors and picture frames include scalloped malachite accented with gold and a sunburst in a mustard yellow. Fleur at fleurhome.com. Anne Lee Phillips Azzurri Casa in the Shops at Arrive River Oaks 16