Palermo, architectural decors

Palermo, an aesthetic discovery

Dimonah and I visited Palermo three years ago. It was my second visit and her first. I will pass the rich history of Sicily and what sets it apart from the rest of Italy.

Palermo today, like Istanbul, has a rich mix of populations which give it that particular East/West character. Also, it is not renovated to give tourists a favourable impression. It remains in its juice and that includes a good dose of the Orient which the Arabs left, even if their domination of the island was short lived. In the ornaments which we collected with a camera at Monreale and the Palatine Chapel in Roger II’s palace, was proof of the perfect syncretism which the monarch had practised. Byzantine mosaics and stone inlay work adorn the walls. But the entire ceiling is a wooden Islamic stalactite structure, exquisitely carved and painted to harmonise with the walls. We were more than impressed. Dimonah put her camera to good use.

In about one year, our painters had re-created the marvellous elements of Roger’s palace. Then Dimonah got back to work and applied all these decorative marvels to our new decor: “Palermo”. Its first incarnation was our London flat where we experienced living with it. No complaints.

We invite you to discover hereunder : Palermo Mosaic, Palermo Frames, Palermo Marbles, Palermo Borders, Palermo Garden & Palermo Stripes, which, together with 2 ceilings, compose our Palermo “portfolio” of decors. The digital catalogue of each decor can be downloaded hereunder; the digital toolkit of the full portfolio is available on request.

In February, World Of Interiors published a 10 pages editorial, text by Cosmo Brockway, and photos for this article by Simon Upton, on our London flat and adventures in decoration to be read in the Press section of our Newsletter, together with an very informative article by Gunes Uysalefe published last month by Vogue Turkey.

At Iksel, we are very happy to announce our collaboration with DEDAR, the Italian textile company headquartered in Milan that creates contemporary furnishing fabrics since 1976.
This month, DEDAR will start representing Iksel collections in over 20 countries in Europe & the Middle East.
We believe we are in aesthetic concord with their wonderful weaves and prints.

Mehmet Iksel


Palermo, Architectural Wallpaper

Palermo Mosaic

AR551

Download hereunder our Digital Catalogue


Palermo Frames

AR552

Palermo Frames decors show some of our Gardens & Landscapes in micro-mosaic frames fitted to the different walls, integrated in a plain marble background.

Download hereunder our Digital Catalogue


Palermo Marbles

AR553

Palermo Marbles decors combine micro-mosaic friezes with marbles stripes and a wainscoting in stone inlay. Real or faux doors and windows can be created on each wall.

Download hereunder our Digital Catalogue


Palermo Borders

AR554

Palermo Borders are a collection of mosaic and stone inlay borders, that can be integrated in Palermo decors and ordered as separate ornamental elements.

Download hereunder our Digital Catalogue


Palermo Garden

AR555

Palermo Garden is a series of 10 scenes representing birds, animals, centaurs or archers facing each other. This decor, which loops, can unfold like a frieze all around a room or cover the walls, alone or above a wainscoting.

Download hereunder our Digital Catalogue


Palermo Stripes

SC137

The famous stripe design is a faux stone marquetry together with weatherbeaten marbles from an old mosque courtyard. The juxtaposition of the two elements and their intentional irregularity will, we hope, inspire designers who yearn for a feeling of history.

Palermo Stripes is part of our Standard Collection.

Download hereunder our Digital Catalogue


Palermo Stars Ceiling

CE211

Palermo Stars Ceiling combines a midnight blue background lined with a scatter of gold stars with a micro-mosaic border. Also available without border.

Download hereunder our Digital Catalogue


Palermo Stars X-Ceiling

CE218

Palermo Stars X-Ceiling combines a midnight blue background lined with a scatter of gold stars with two micro-mosaic borders. One of them, in the shape of a cross, creates a perspective effect transforming the ceiling into a tented roof.

Download hereunder our Digital Catalogue

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