Beyond the image: Artefatto Design Studio’s approach
From London to Milan, Artefatto Design Studio explores the intersections of interior, product, and collectible design through a multidisciplinary approach grounded in depth and intent.
Driven by collaboration and curiosity, Artefatto Design Studio has cultivated a practice that dissolves boundaries between disciplines. Speaking with Salvatore Morales, co-founder together with Lorenzo Scisciani and Sacha Andraos, we uncover how the trio’s work balances experimentation, narrative, and precision.
Founded in London nine years ago, Artefatto began as a multidisciplinary studio with a strong focus on interior and product design. “London was our home for the first half of our career,” Morales recalls, “before we moved to Milan and into our current space in Via Giacosa 35.” Today, that space also houses two of their offshoots: Secolo, their furniture brand, and Movimento Gallery, dedicated to collectible design.
In its early years, Artefatto worked across residential and hospitality interiors, developing projects of varying scales for an international clientele. Despite their young age—the trio founded the studio at just 24—they quickly gained experience through ambitious commissions that honed their design sensibility.
Alongside interior projects, the studio began working with fashion brands, designing retail environments, installations, and display pieces. This immersion in fashion sharpened their awareness of rhythm, image, and identity—elements that would later influence their approach to both furniture and art direction.
As their reputation grew, Artefatto caught the attention of contemporary design brands seeking a new kind of creative dialogue. What began as product collaborations soon evolved into full art direction roles, with the studio curating not just objects but the entire identity of a collection.
For Morales and his partners, however, this wasn’t the endpoint. “We felt the need to move toward a different kind of design,” he explains. “We wanted to explore sculptural pieces and new disciplines.” This instinct led to the creation of Secolo, Artefatto’s own furniture brand—a platform that allowed them to experiment freely while managing every phase, from concept and production to commercial strategy.
“With Secolo,” Morales notes, “we began working almost more as entrepreneurs than designers.” The brand’s immediate international success confirmed the validity of their vision. Recognized by leading design studios and fashion houses, Secolo became a symbol of Artefatto’s ability to merge creative direction and craftsmanship, offering a contemporary interpretation of collectible design.
The experience with Secolo naturally led to the founding of Movimento Gallery, an initiative focused on collectible design and emerging creatives. The gallery represents a new chapter in Artefatto’s trajectory—one that bridges the studio’s research-driven ethos with its desire to support a younger generation of designers and artists.
“For us, Movimento isn’t just a gallery,” Morales explains. “It’s a curatorial project that allows us to bring together new talents, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and unique pieces that challenge conventional definitions of design.”
Through Movimento, Artefatto continues to build a network of experimentation, fostering a culture where interior design, art, and craftsmanship coexist. The studio’s approach reflects a belief in constant exchange—between disciplines, markets, and ideas—an attitude that keeps their practice dynamic and forward-looking.
Beyond their expanding ecosystem, Morales reflects on the wider state of design today. “There’s too much focus on image rather than substance,” he observes. “We’re moving at such a fast pace—both in production and communication—that we risk losing touch with what truly defines good design.”
This acceleration, he suggests, is reshaping the way new designers perceive their work. “We’re almost teaching them that constant creation is the only path,” he says, “when the real goal should be about quality and depth.”
While he acknowledges that communication is vital, Morales insists it should never overshadow the essence of the work. “Communication should support the narrative, not replace it,” he explains. “Because when you look closely at some projects, you realize the storytelling is strong—but the substance isn’t always there.”
In their Milan headquarters, Artefatto continues to expand this conversation, balancing experimentation with precision, and creativity with substance. Their story is a reminder that the future of design lies not in speed or visibility, but in the thoughtful intersections between research, production, and cultural meaning.
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