The art of making glass and lighting fixtures has been passed down from one generation to another in Venice, Italy for over a millennium now. From the simple and basic designs used by the ancient Venetians, this art has evolved over time to the intricate and exquisite designs that are available today. Most of the time such pieces are outfitted in modern space, some of which are present in the most famous of living spaces like palaces around the world. This art and trend continue to grow through Sogni Di Cristallo, a glass and lighting fittings company based in Venice. Several factors contribute to this company’s reputation, which has led to its products growing in popularity in Italy and all over the world. Some of them are as below:
- Tradition and Rich Culture
The tradition and culture of Murano glass works have been passed down from one generation to another for the past 1000 years. The passing down of this knowledge has contributed immensely to the beautiful pieces that now do the most beautiful palaces in the world as a result of knowledge accumulation. Each generation works its level best not only to maintain the intricacies passed down to them but also to improve and correct errors of the preceding generation.
- Research and Design
The company creates exquisite designs that excite emotions and brings about pleasurable feelings to living spaces. These designs are informed by the Venetian art lighting, which has been in existence for centuries. They have invested in serious research, to ensure that what you get is more than what you ask for. If you love beautiful things and spaces, then Di Cristallo glass and lighting is what you need to add to your living space to make it complete.
- Experienced Craftsmen
You would wonder how the company can precisely bring out your imagination and make it a reality. Well, Di Cristallo has a whole team of skilled and experienced craftsmen. All you need to do is present your ideas, which they trace or scribble down on paper as you confirm. They are also in handy to offer more ideas to improve on what you have. The craftsmen then use the classical Venetian tradition to create your idea, while incorporating all that you want and more. Everything is crafted by hand hence the attention to detail that you will notice with most of our work.
- Material Used
The materials used in the process is another key area that the company puts into serious consideration. They wouldn’t have such magnificent chandelier glasses if they utilized substandard material. Di Cristallo not only selects the best there is in the market, but also observes strict preparatory rituals that ensure the highest qualities of the end product. For instance, the craftsmen prepare the glass paste molten at high degrees of about 1500 degrees centigrade, and select the best of the coloring powders to use with the glasses.
- The Blowing Stage
You may wonder how the craftsmen manage to come up with some intricate shapes. We will tell you how. After preparing the molten materials, the craftsmen pick the glowing glass paste from the pot using a blowpipe. This is a piece of special equipment that they use to blow into the glass to create the voluminous surfaces as they craft the material into different shapes.
- Molding, Decorating and Coloring Processes
After the blowing process comes to the molding. This process requires experienced craftsmen as it is delicate work that requires attention to details. Here, the craftsmen make finishing touches, adjusting any uneven surfaces and filling in where it needs to be filled. Everything in this process is done by hand, to ensure the best of finishes and designs. The craftsmen have to keep reheating the glass in their furnaces to maintain its malleability as it cools and hardens while they are working on it. It takes quite some time here but it is all for the best and to produce what the client desires. Once the designs are completed, the craftsmen then hand draw patterns on the surfaces to complete the work.
- Grinding and Quenching
After they are through with the designs, they then leave the glasses to cool off completely in a cooling oven they call tempera. It takes a few hours for the glasses to cool off completely, after which they take it through the last process of grinding. Grinding is polishing the glass surfaces to ensure their smoothness and to have them glow.
- Assembly and Quality Control
Once the work is done, the finished quality products can then be assembled into complete packages for fitting. The company works with architects to ensure that quality is maintained in this last, but still a very important step.
