(Above: Serena Confalonieri at 13.10 Ristorante Photo by Matteo Imbriani)

Step inside the world of Serena Confalonieri, and you’ll find yourself immersed in bold color, playful form, and the kind of emotional resonance that makes design feel truly alive. Known for infusing each piece with narrative and heart, the Milan-based designer has earned international recognition for her ability to channel historic design references — think Bauhaus or Memphis — into contemporary forms that feel fresh and full of energy.

Most recently, during this year’s Milan Design Week, she wowed audiences with collections like Chroma, a textile collaboration with Radici inspired by pointillism and natural landscapes, and Jambo, where she joined forces with nonprofit Ocean Sole to transform discarded flip-flops into joyful sculptural vases.

Confalonieri’s work radiates emotion and intention — joy not as decoration, but as a sensory and deeply human experience. Even her Milan apartment, often featured in top design publications, reflects this ethos: a vibrant, layered space where color, craft, and personal story collide. For this issue of Perspective magazine — centered around the power of joy — we couldn’t think of a more fitting cover story. Confalonieri reflects on where joy lives in design, how color creates meaning, and why even the digital world might have its own kind of magic.

(Don’t miss our members-only rapid-fire Q&A where Confalonieri talks murrine glass beads, communist propaganda posters, and the one thing every joyful space needs: a happy dog.)

Your work radiates joy. How do you define joy in design, and how do you intentionally cultivate it?

Joy, for me, is a sensory experience. I try to design objects that speak not only to the eyes but also to the heart. I play with unexpected shapes and use color as a way to create connection and spark emotion.

Color is central to your aesthetic. How do you use it as a tool for evoking emotion?

Color comes before form and it hits you right away. I use bold contrasts and vibrant pairings to create energy, warmth, and that uplifting feeling we call joy.

Where do you find inspiration — whether from the design world or beyond? Was there a moment that affirmed your belief in the emotional power of design?

Nature is my biggest inspiration, along with art history. The moment I realized design could make people feel something was when I saw someone smile while interacting with one of my pieces.

Your Chroma textile collection for Radici, presented within the Camera Picta installation, draws on diverse art movements and natural elements. How do those influences shape your creative process?

Art [techniques and] movements like pointillism or Bauhaus taught me new ways to see color and pattern. But nature grounds it all — textures, weather, rhythms. I blend the two to create something fresh but familiar.

Do you think joy in design is universal, or does it shift based on culture, geography, or personal experience?

It definitely changes based on where you’re from or what you’ve lived — but there’s something universal about color and shape. They tap into feelings that go beyond language.

The Jambo vase collection, made in collaboration with Ocean Sole, transforms discarded flip-flops into vibrant objects. How does this project reflect your approach to sustainability and joyful design?

Jambo perfectly embodies the idea of conscious and joyful design. Turning waste into color-filled objects is about giving things a second life and showing that sustainability can be playful and beautiful.

As the design world becomes more digital, can virtual spaces evoke the same kind of happiness as physical environments?

Digital spaces are exciting, but nothing beats the feeling of touching or being inside a well-designed space. Still, tech opens up new ways to play and connect. I think it’s a different kind of joy.

What brings you joy outside of design, and how does it influence your creative practice?

Mainly traveling, playing tennis, watching indie movies, visiting museums and exhibitions — and, of course, relaxing with my dogs. Those moments recharge me and often end up shaping my ideas, even when I don’t realize it.

Read more Perspective: Designing for Joy here