Interview with Stil Novo Design

Today, we have the pleasure of introducing Camilla of Stil Novo Design.  We had the good fortune of meeting Stil Novo Design through our Fan Page on Facebook, which goes to show why social media is such a great tool for connecting with others!  You get the privilege of meeting amazing people with incredible talents and stories that you may have never come across.  You can see by the photos that Stil Novo Design's work speaks for itself, but learning about their name, their history, and the materials they use will impress you even more in our interview here today:

Meylah: Stil Novo Design is such a unique name, can you tell us how you came up with it?

Stil Novo Design: In Italian ‘stil novo’ means ‘new style’ and it’s reminiscent of the ‘dolce stil novo’, which was a very important literary movement in Italy during the 13th century.  Somehow it seemed to fit with our vision and stylistic choices.

Meylah: The wood you use looks amazing in your products, can you share a little about the materials you use and where you find them?

Stil Novo Design: While visiting a local winery in the north of California, we noticed a bunch of unused barrels, piled up in a corner and ready to be discarded. We asked a few questions and learned about the chemical properties of oak itself and how it plays a significant role in winemaking, affecting the color, flavor, and texture of the wine.  Over time many of the oak properties get "leached" out of the barrel and after 3 to 5 vintages the barrel is ready to be discarded.

My husband is an experienced and passionate woodworker, so he could immediately recognize and appreciate the quality of the selected oak the French barrels are made of, and felt that we could turn that unfortunate waste into a ‘green’ idea.

The more we worked with this wood, the more we could notice and appreciate the uniqueness of each barrel, the different grain, quality and character that every stave presents; for us every dent, discoloration and mark is a very valued and honored sign of age that we have a lot of respect for.  It makes us quite happy that we are able to give this wonderful material a new life in our customers’ hands.

Meylah: You mentioned that Stil Novo Design is a family business. Can you tell us about how you got started and who does what?

Stil Novo Design: Stefano Capaccioli, my husband, is an accomplished woodworker/furniture maker; he possesses endless creativity, amazing abilities and meticulous skills, I think there is nothing he cannot accomplish!  Every piece we make is the direct product of a ‘family effort’, from the conceptualization of the idea to its realization; we all have to 'endorse' it or it doesn’t make it to the catalog and we all take pride in putting our name on it.

Our 10 years old twin girls often participate to the whole process, giving suggestions or sharing (commanding???) their personal preferences.  I, Camilla take care of orders, customer service (I love that!!), packaging (don’t really love it as much!!) and shipping.  I also do the necessary 'foot-work', networking and marketing, in order to get Stil Novo Design noticed and appreciated.

Meylah: Can you tell us a little bit about the process of building one of your pieces?

Stil Novo Design: When either of us comes up with an idea, having an architectural background, my husband easily sketches it on paper, we discuss it further and define the details.  After that he makes a prototype and we decide if the design needs more options or adjustments, and if it gets 'promoted' it’s added to our inventory.  Also, often our customers offer suggestions or request a custom piece that gives us the opportunity to explore our creative potential even further.

Meylah: What is your best advice for other handmade crafters wanting to have an online presence?

Stil Novo Design: Love what you do, be true to it and share it with absolute honesty and full confidence; you will attract the right audience.