Brand Highlight: Valli & Valli

To enter a space, one must first cross a threshold, an act that invariably involves turning a door handle. And while the door handle is oft ignored, this object can add or subtract style to interiors. Italian company Valli & Valli was founded in 1934 by Pasquale Valli, a visionary “born with a compass in his head” who began his career by designing umbrella handles. His ability to picture space and proportion led to a collection of fine door handles (as well as window pulls, cabinet hardware, and accessories) with classical, traditional, and modern lines.

Valli & Valli offers products created by both the Valli workshop and renowned architectural studios. One of its first well-known door handles was Medicea, introduced in 1968 by Pasquale Valli. Ornamental and elegant, Medicea is nonetheless a door lever that’s easy on the hand. Contemporary Valli & Valli door handles come from some of the world’s most recognized architects and designers: Zaha Hadid, Frank. O. Gehry, Jean Nouvel, Richard Meier, Matteo Thun, and Antonio Citterio, among others.

Of Valli & Valli’s recognized door handles, H 1051 of the Tieste Series evolved from the material itself: “I decided to simply bend a tube and attach it to the door,” explains designer Yoshimi Kono. The result is an innovative, contemporary interpretation of a functional object.

Featuring a slim rectangular handle and a circular base, H 373 by Benini and Gonzo is a study in geometry. Ideal for modern décor, the new H 373 is available with a polished chrome or polished black finish. From legendary architect Frank O. Gehry comes the Arrowhead Series. Its H 5021 door handle resembles its namesake—but with a twist (a literal twist, as the arrowhead shape is slightly rotated). In the ZH Duemilacinque Series, Zaha Hadid and Woody Yao created H 356, a door handle featuring the hard angles and futuristic forms for which Hadid is famous.

Posted February 7th, 2013 by Joseph Starr