Pet Therapy

According to the Italian but Paris-based philosopher Emanuele Coccia, author of The Life of Plants (2018), Metamorphoses (2020) and a forthcoming book on the concept of home, Filosofia della Casa (to be published in June 2021), cities of the future will need to model themselves on zoos and botanic gardens, where species meet and co-exist in harmony. Our homes, too, ought to reflect this particular paradigm. In fact, the trend towards micro-gardening and the exponential rise in the number of pets acquired during the various lockdowns are obvious examples of this particular revolution. Greenery and pets – dogs and cats, rodents and tiny birds, right down to miniature pigs, goats and cows - have hit the headlines, not just due to a burst of new ecological conscience but, especially, because of their power to comfort – remedies for the anxieties generated by the pandemic yet devoid of side effects.

So, the natural world as the new frontier. For those attracted to but not convinced by the need to take on an animal (or a vegetable), fashion and interior design have always allowed them to demonstrate this affection without beating themselves up. Almost every stylist has gone through an animalistic phase, attempting to imitate feline coats, tropical scales and plumage, the shapes and colours of insects and reptiles. Then the designers followed suit, converting domestic spaces into habitable jungle sets in which leopards, zebras, elephants, bears, tortoises, monkeys and every sort and kind of bird and insect become brightly-coloured fellow inhabitants of our daily lives. 

For those who love wild settings, Citco Privè has come up with the Malawi sideboard and the Gibuti cabinet: the former depicts a mesmerising herd of zebras in black and white marble; the latter represents the jungle at night with leopards sculpted from a range of coloured marbles. Sahrai is also channelling leopards for its Noor collection, featuring this majestic animal print in wool and silk relief.  Andrey Budko showcased his own very personal take on this particular animal at SaloneSatellite - the Hear My Roooar rug weaves memories of fairytales and flashbacks of his own childhood, craftsmanship and new technologies together. Imperfetto Lab, on the other hand, has gone for the king of the jungle, but has placed it in the very antithesis of the wild – the circus. Thus, their roaring lion leaps through a luminous hoop, conjuring up a dreamlike and powerful atmosphere. Then there are Vitra’s elephants – the Eames Elephant is a versatile piece of furnishing – both seat, small table and children’s divertissement. Inspired by typical Madagascar flora and fauna, Jannelli & Volpi’s Lemuri wallpaper is a riot of primates against palms and banana trees.