Over the past two weeks, we've explored Japanese Ma (the intentional pause between things) and Scandinavian Hygge (a state of cosy contentment).
This week, we head to the Mediterranean to discover how Italians create la dolce vita - the sweet life - in compact coastal homes and city apartments. Here's what you'll find:
How Italian colour psychology makes small spaces feel vibrant and energising rather than cramped.
The art of indoor-outdoor flow that psychologically doubles your living space.
Why Italian homes prioritise communal gathering over private rooms.
How food rituals, natural scents, and daily celebrations create abundance within spatial limitations.
Practical ways to bring Mediterranean warmth and joy to any climate or apartment size.
Let's dive in.
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KNOF Design: 8 Ways to Give Your Home Mediterranean Style - Practical guide explaining how "living la dolce vita is all about savouring life, taking pleasure in simple things, and being mindful of each moment.
ICYMI
The Warmth Ritual: A Hygge Design Perspective - Last week, we journeyed to Scandinavia to explore Hygge (pronounced as "hooga")- a Danish philosophy of living that celebrates the simple things in life and how it translates to their interiors.
The Power of Ma: Finding 'Enough' in the Space Between - We explored the Japanese concepts of Shibui, Wabi-Sabi and Kodawari and how intentional minimalism in Japanese spaces creates the experience of expansiveness.
The Psychology of Small Spaces - The first of this series, where we consider the psychology of experiential design in small spaces. We also examine how different cultures employ intentional design strategies to shape their spatial experiences
The big idea: La Dolce Vita - The Italian philosophy of sweet living
Picture this: a sun-drenched piazza in a small Italian town. The golden hour casts warm amber light across terracotta rooftops. Vines curl around wrought-iron balconies. The air hums with laughter, clinking glasses, and the distant strum of a mandolin.
Several rustic tables are arranged beneath a canopy of string lights, hosting happy people for al fresco dining. Platters of fresh figs, burrata, breadsticks, and pasta dishes are served with smiles and generous servings of wine.
Children chase pigeons near a bubbling fountain, and animated chatter and laughter float in the air. Time feels suspended, and the sweetness of life is felt in the texture of the moment; slow, rich, and shared.
This could be a scene in a movie, but it embodies la dolce vita. In interior spaces, la dolce vita means creating an environment where life's moments become celebrations.
Unlike the Japanese approach of finding peace through intentional minimalism, or the Scandinavian focus on cosiness and comfort, Italian design is energetic and vibrant. Italians understand that abundance comes from everyday experiences.