Now, Mrs. Gillett is a most serious designer, if we may be permitted to editorialize based on our years of acquaintance. She is not one given to capricious whims. And so her gradual "Italianization" had to do with more than a style change in furniture.

At a certain point, her mind's eye saw an entirely different vision of the house in which she and husband Will had been living for22 years. The residence, a two-story structure built in 1925 of hollow tile construction with natural stucco finish, had seen a number of furnishings changes during the years in which the Gilletts had come to own it. Its basic floor plan, however, remained unaltered. The layout, according to Mrs, Gillett, is classic and the structure boasts such amenities as nine-ft.-high ceilings and 12-in.-thick walls. But, its interiors had none of the architectural detailing that Mrs. Gillett had come to appreciate and even crave from her visits to Italian villas and Milanese apartments. Returning home to the stark backgrounds and classic pieces of Bauhaus vintage, as shown published in our February 1974 issue, left her a bit cold.

"Yes," says Gillett, "I've been influenced by the Italians -by their love of quality and by the fact that in Italy we see wonderful classic design in old villas."

"We see together fine antiques and the fine furniture of today that hopefully will become tomorrow's antiques."