Venue launching March 2025
Welcome to Il Salotto, a 330 sqm event and display space in the heart of Glasgow’s Merchant City.
Il Salotto offers unparalleled access to Scotland’s leading design and architectural practices. With over a decade of relationship-building and hosting influential events, the Host, Sara Seravalli, creator of the #DesignPopUp Events, ensures that your stories and products reach the key players who matter.
Literary cafés, or Salotti Letterari, began spreading across Europe in the early 1700s, becoming hubs for intellectuals to discuss politics, economics, and social progress. The first, Café Procope in France, was opened by Italian Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli, inspiring similar cafés across Italy. These venues fueled debates and ideas that spurred later revolutions, including the Italian Risorgimento. In these cafés, conversations sparked new realities, dreams, and even anarchist ideas.
Why Il Salotto?
This six-story neo-Egyptian warehouse, designed by Campbell, Reid, and Wingate between 1914 and 1921, stands prominently in Glasgow’s Merchant City. Its polished red sandstone façade, marked by channelled pilasters, conveys a sense of grandeur. The first four floors feature recessed windows framed by Egyptian-style pillars and balcony-like entablatures.
20 Bell Street
Broad recessed panels below the windows add depth, while the fourth-floor windows are framed with supportive mullions. The fifth floor presents bold blocks between windows, and the attic level has pedimented dormers on a tiled mansard roof. A cast-iron parapet with anthemion finials crowns this early 20th-century architectural gem.
The Merchant City in Glasgow is a vibrant, historic district known for its architectural beauty and creative spirit. Originally a bustling trade area in the 18th century, it became home to merchants who shaped Glasgow's economic rise.
Sara Seravalli
La Padrona di Casa
With two decades of extensive experience in promoting and managing prestigious showrooms across Milan, Paris, Pimlico Road, and Clerkenwell, Sara Seravalli has established herself as a prominent figure in the architecture and design industry. Her career is marked by a deep understanding of the intricacies of the A&D communities and the specification market, coupled with a passion for fostering meaningful connections within these sectors.
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Sara’s journey took a transformative turn when she moved to Scotland and founded #DesignPopUp. This innovative event series was conceived to bring together the architecture and design communities across major hubs in the UK and Ireland, creating a unique platform for collaboration, inspiration, and networking. Under her visionary leadership, #DesignPopUp has grown into a celebrated fixture in the industry calendar, known for its dynamic exhibitions and engaging content.
Who are we?
Emma Jordan-Wales
La Tuttofare
With a full career in interior design, specialising in bespoke cabinetry, Emma brings nearly 20 years of industry experience, including showroom design. Throughout her career, she has gained a comprehensive range of expertise with numerous designers and interior brands.
London and Surrey were based for all of her career, and in the last two years expanded into Scotland and the brilliant A&D community it offers. After freelancing for six years prior, Emma accepted role of Project Manager for #DesignPopUp, fully immersing herself in advancing DPU to its highest potential.