Melbourne has a long history of importing style and inspiration from Italy – along with all the espresso machines. Now local designer Adele Cotruzzola is the latest to reimagine those Southern European vibes for an Australian market with her marble furniture line, Just Adele.
“I would say my love affair with marble really started with travelling to Italy and seeing the architecture – even the floors over there are often all natural stone,” Cotruzzola tells Broadsheet.
“I saw so much marble material and I just fell in love with it.”
Cotruzzola kicked off her label three-and-a-half years ago, producing ready-made and custom marble pieces. Using natural stone sourced and personally selected from both Melbourne and Tuscany, Cotruzzola creates side, dining and coffee tables, bars, plinths, consoles, floor mirrors and other custom items.
Just Adele pieces integrate elements of boldness, colour, sleek lines and patterns to bring a slice of Italy into Australian homes. All furniture is made locally and as sustainable as possible – prices range from $1500 to $5000, depending on the design.
“Natural stone has a lot of texture throughout, and every slab and piece is so different and unique,” Cotruzzola says. “The beauty of the designs we create is that the shapes are timeless.
“We want these pieces to last a lifetime, rather than be a trend item that goes out of fashion within a year.”
Demand for marble furniture is high in both home and commercial settings, Cotruzzola says. So she’s busy designing new items, as well as working with suppliers and local manufacturers, to keep up with demand.
Cotruzzola says decorators want statement pieces to complement minimalistic or natural vibes throughout their home, and marble furniture offers a practical and sturdy option to spruce up a space.
“We have noticed that more people want that statement luxury piece in their homes … and they see marble as one of those materials,” she says.
“Marble also has a lot of natural resistance, which assists in keeping furniture clean, and we make sure we seal every piece so that it’s suitable for daily use.”
Cotruzzola and her team of three have recently moved into a new gallery space in Richmond, in Melbourne’s inner east, working alongside Melbourne artist Christopher Vine.
In the coming months, Just Adele will be launching an exclusive range made in Italy.
“I went there last year and handpicked all the stones and blocks individually to create this collection. We have been working on this one for about six months now … this is definitely one of our greatest achievements so far.”
