House of glass art

MANILA, Philippines - There are many ways to liven up a living space. Adding Murano pieces can add a touch of glass and class to any home.

Whether minimalist or elaborate, Murano can provide a pop of color that gives an edge to your space. “Purchasing a Murano piece always means buying quality,” says Rustan’s resident interior designer Maja Olivares. She says that when adding an accent to a selected area, choose a standout piece that carries striking shape and color.

Murano has long preserved the precious art of glass blowing. Known the world over, Murano glass pieces are characterized for their distinctive design in the form of glass sculptures and functional pieces.

Murano Tribute to Picasso, P275,000

In a more unobtrusive home setting, Murano’s multi-colored vases are deemed as good additions to brighten up a space. Murano has pieces such as the Cosset gold vase and Batuti variations.

Maja continues that one of her personal favorites in the Murano collection is the Body and Lovers glass design. Intricately made, both these pieces “are the purest in form and expression.” Other Murano choices that can add drama to a home include the Bottle Lion, the Modern Blue sculpture or something as simple yet elegant as the Red Ribbon.

Today, Murano is home to a vast number of factories and a few individual artists’ studios making all manner of glass objects from mass-marketed stemware to original sculpture. The Museo Vetrario (Glass Museum) in the Palazzo Giustinian holds displays on the history of glassmaking as well as glass samples ranging from Egyptian times through the present day.

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Taking its name from the Venetian Island of Murano, Murano designs remain as exclusive as the technique made available only to its place of origin. While Murano glassmakers have settled and operated elsewhere, some say authentic Murano glass is fabricated only in Murano. This complex art slowly takes shape through techniques that artists have mastered through time. Some of Murano’s historical glass factories remain well known brands today, among them Venini, Salviati, Barovier & Toso, Pauly, Seguso Formia International, Simone Cenedese and many others.

Maja says that when working with a very minimal space, “it could still look fabulous with one large and dramatic Murano piece in the middle.”

Rustan’s offers a variety of Murano pieces for up to 75 percent off.