ChillisChilli
Halfway up a busy street in Attard, along a road dotted with stationeries, food shops and the like, ECLECTICIST is definitely a sight for sore eyes. Its traditional shop façade, painted a bright electric blue with brass details instantly draws your attention.
We spoke to the people involved in bringing this project to life: Alan de Battista Managing Director at CHILLISCHILLI and Enrika Pizzuto, designer and owner of ECLECTICIST. ‘The shop’s exterior combines a classical and personal style’ Enrika explains. ‘My idea was to create an exterior which married my eclectic style with that of a classical french/maltese shop façade’. Having worked with CHILLISCHILLI before, Enrika was confident that they would guarantee the required attention to detail making them the right people for the task.
Alan explains how his team was able to combine both the classical and contemporary elements required for the design. This was done by mixing the traditional style of using intricate mouldings and hand-painting to the use of modern materials and incorporating a bold colour throughout.
The facade consists of glazed doors and panels, the frames of which are built in the traditional Red Deal wood, a material known to be ideal for exterior use. The introduction of brass on the hinges, handles and ultimately the shop sign itself adds a striking feature which complements the design.
The project was a joint effort between the two parties. Enrika, an interior architect by profession provided the initial conceptual sketch which the team at CHILLISCHILLI in turn engineered into buildable design which was both functional and aesthetically pleasing. A series of brainstorming sessions led to working drawings on which the manufacture of the facade was to be based.
The facade undoubtedly stands out with its large glass windows that light up a selection of contemporary and original pieces on display, and veers away from the run of the mill design one finds in most shops. The customer is bound to feel enticed to enter and explore the wide selection of items which range from homeware, loose furniture, to fashion accessories and even baby items, each of which is hand selected to display an eclectic mix of styles – the most iconic pieces from different eras.
Inside the shop the concept of old meets new is echoed throughout the entire shop in which the owner Enrika displays a diverse. She enthusiastically explained how the concept of the shop is an eclectic mix of styles “The shop displays a curated selection of items, the most iconic pieces of each era”. The selection includes homeware, loose furniture, fashion accessories and baby gifts. It is the perfect place to buy that original gift for a loved on, or even for yourself. Enrika explains how ECLECTICIST has been open for 9 months and the clients simply love being in the shop, which transports them to different cultures, eras and places. ECLECTICIST is a very happy place and is definitely here to stay.
ChillisChilli design and create Bespoke Furniture and Interiors for Domestic as well as Commercial environments. The company’s team of skilled craftsmen combine traditional skills and expertise in furniture making with innovative contemporary methods. Collectively, they hold decades of experience in carpentry, joinery and furniture manufacturing.
