The maven of artisanal textiles and objets checks in with her latest inspiration.

What inspired I Pezzi Dipinti?
I Pezzi Dipinti means “painted pieces” in Italian. The original iteration of IPD, which I founded in early 1988, was devoted to the design and sale of custom-painted furniture, which I produced with a small, family-owned studio in Florence. The inspiration remains the same today — the desire to produce exquisite objects that I imagine do not yet exist, made from the best materials, by the best craftspeople, and to have these objects find a long-lasting, utilitarian place in their owners’ lives.

What is inspiring you right now?
The minds of master craftspeople whose memories are their archive — colors, textures and nuances cataloged over decades of work, exposure and close observation that can be summoned and deployed in an instant to sublime concrete effect.

What are you looking for in Pakistan?
As a textile designer I am hoping to find provocation here. My textile business is based just across the border in India, in Kashmir and Rajasthan. For years I have felt the urge to see the world on the other side of the border.

Favorite trip you ever went on and why?
This one…the next one….

What’s your favorite color, print or pattern?
The blackest blue is my obsession, and I return to it daily in my wardrobe and my collections. Nothing is more satisfying than the construction of a puffy, round-headed garden rose.

Just one thing that everyone should have in his or her home?
A leopard-patterned Bengal cat. It encompasses all the best visual, tactile, warm, sensuous experiences one wants to encounter at home.