Natalini: NICE

Picture Frame Ocra A V 13x18 cm

Colour looks rather good on a favourite memory

This frame happily lets the photograph take centre stage, but it certainly has no intention of turning up dressed in beige. The Natalini Ocra A V photo frame from the NICE collection surrounds 13 x 18 cm photographs with a 20 mm wide wooden frame where ochre and warm orange meet green, pale blue, pink, white and deep blue. Sections of different sizes, changing directions and visible textures form a graphic pattern that feels lively while retaining a clear sense of order. The slightly larger photo format gives portraits, travel photographs and memorable everyday moments plenty of room, while the multicoloured design extends the image outwards with a decorative presence of its own. The frame has a lacquered surface and a velour-like covering on the reverse for a considered finish. Rotating tabs make it straightforward to insert or change the photograph, while the integrated stand allows Ocra A V to be displayed in either portrait or landscape orientation. A photograph from last summer, a family portrait or that unexpectedly brilliant weekend snapshot all qualify. Preferably something deserving more attention than being image number 2,743 on your phone.

Where colour becomes a composition, piece by piece

The distinctive character of this Natalini photo frame comes from the traditional technique of marquetry. Veneers are precisely cut into individual shapes and then assembled to create a decorative composition. Colour is only part of the story: the texture and natural grain of the wood also contribute to the appearance of the individual sections. Ocra A V makes this principle particularly easy to appreciate. Broader coloured segments form the outer edge, while smaller rectangular elements create another rhythm immediately around the photograph. Diagonal transitions at the corners visually bring the two areas together. The decoration therefore develops through the relationship between its individual elements rather than from a pattern simply printed onto the surface. It is a technique with a long history, translated here into something that feels decidedly contemporary.

Italian craft with an appetite for colour

Natalini was founded in 1979 and has become particularly known for its marquetry photo frames. Across the Italian company's collections, the technique appears in numerous colours and graphic interpretations. Made in Italy, NICE Ocra A V belongs firmly to the more expressive side of the range: clear geometry meets a palette balancing warm shades with cooler notes. That combination also prevents the frame from belonging to just one particular interior style. Traditional marquetry is not treated as something nostalgic here, but used as the foundation for a modern home accessory. It is an approach that sits naturally with the LIVOSY philosophy: heritage and craftsmanship become particularly interesting when they can live comfortably in the present. Ocra A V does exactly that while still leaving the most important element plenty of space – the photograph at its centre.

Because a sideboard is allowed some fun too

At 13 x 18 cm, Ocra A V has enough presence to stand alone on a chest of drawers, console or bookshelf. Its varied palette also offers plenty of possibilities for pairing it with other objects: green can pick up the colour of a vase, warm ochre can sit alongside wood or ceramics, while the blue sections introduce a cooler counterpoint. For a collection of favourite memories, combine it with other Natalini photo frames or different designs from the NICE collection. There is no need for every frame to match. Mixing formats, colours and patterns can make a group feel more personal and naturally collected over time. Ocra A V contributes colour and graphic rhythm; the photograph provides the story. All that remains is deciding which memory gets the place.