May 31, 2022

Italian luxury appliance manufacturer Fulgor Milano announced its Ciao Sofia designer inspiration trip taking place from Oct. 3-8, 2022. Named in honor of the Sofia, Fulgor Milano’s flagship professional range, the trip welcomes 10 North American designers to the birthplace of the Fulgor Milano brand in the Bassano del Grappa region in Italy. For six days, they will explore the region and experience the culture that inspires the brand. Hosted by the Vetta Group, which represents Fulgor Milano in North America, the designers will also get a chance to visit Fhiaba refrigeration and Falmec ventilation also represented by the Vetta Group

“We welcome key members of the design community to experience our Italian craftsmanship by visiting the Fulgor Milano headquarters in Bassano del Grappa,” said Stephen Polloni, president, Vetta Group. “We hope to give them a deeper understanding of our development process and design choices. We’re excited to not only give them some in-depth product knowledge but a once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience of this beautiful region and the amazing people who produce our appliances.”

In addition to Bassano del Grappa, the designers will also visit Vittorio Veneto and Venice, where special inspirational tours have been planned. Designers attending the trip will include:

• Madeleine Sloback, Surrey, British Columbia (Madeleine Design Group)
• Brian Brown, San Diego, California (Brian Brown Studio)
• Kimberly Kerl, Greer, South Carolina (Kustom Home Design)
• Tristan Gary, Seattle, Washington (Tristan Gary Design)
• Eva Healy, Burlington, Ontario (Avenue Design)
• Laura Hodges, Catonsville, Maryland (Laura Hodges Studio)
• Sarah Robertson, Mamaroneck, New York (Studio Dearborn)
• Marina Umali, Paramus, New Jersey (Marina V Design Studio)
• Arianne Bellizaire, Baton Rouge, Louisiana (Arianne Bellizaire Interiors)
• Sarah Harper, Lucas, Texas (Harper Design Projects)

Three designers — Marina Umali, Arianne Bellizaire and Sarah Harper — won the trip in a draw in Fulgor Milano’s booth during the 2022 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), which took place from Feb. 8-10, 2022, in Orlando, Florida.

“Although we’ve had a strong presence at KBIS in the past and are investing in KBIS 2023 again, we want to continue the momentum and increase brand awareness with the North American kitchen design community,” added Polloni. “Bringing members of the community to see the brand’s manufacturing environment firsthand and gain insight into the Italian lifestyle is the perfect opportunity.”