With the arrival of summer naturally comes the inclination for more colourful, whimsical and bright choices – be it they for our wardrobe, accessories or even interior choices. Here we have selected six pieces of fun-filled furniture that reflect the bright rays of summer
Off the grid
“Although quite voluminous, the seats of the [Wire collection] act like chameleons,” says Muller Van Severen – the Designer(s) of the Year for the September edition of Maison & Objet Paris. “When the sun shines through them, they become invisible,” they add. A series of objects created for Solo House – an architectural home set within 100 hectares of natural landscape in the north of Spain (designed by OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen), the seats are an exercise in balancing transparency and strength. The gridded form creates an abundance of welding points, while keeping a basic shape of a mattress that is then folded. While originally conceived as outdoor furniture, the seats can also be used inside.
Breaking boundaries
Design duo Atelier Caracas – based in Venezuela – are inspired by ‘masters’ of Italian design and the radical stage of design of that era, which featured a far less serious approach and used unlikely materials across a plethora of furniture and interior designs. Noticing little experimentation with upholsteries in collectible design, Atelier Caracas started playing around with the idea of incorporating classical textile and upholstering methods into strident and colourful geometries, creating pieces that explore the boundaries of colour, sensuality and construction. Their Home Office collection features a three-piece ensemble, comprising a chaise longue, a globe-shaped bar and a container box. The pieces in the collection merge subtle tones with unexpected pops of colour, curved and organic shapes with strictly geometric corners, decorative elements with smart functional gimmicks, and traditional upholsteries with unexpected fabrics. The result is a series of unconventional and innovative pieces that concurrently nod to modernity and vintage design.
Traces of light
Lidia Covello’s whimsical Bōru screens feature two separate sheets of OmniDecor glass joined together, where the glass acts as an architectural element and function – dividing yet allowing one to see through space – but also as an independent furnishing item that looks to define a new type of interior design. Inspired by the designer’s adopted homeland of Japan, the screens reflect one’s need for harmony and freedom. Its sinuous shapes are discreet, transparent and fluid – just like light that passes through glass.
Heart of Glass
The Cassina Perspective is the brand’s approach of combining innovative new products with its iconic collections, yet it also allows for collaborations with special partners: in this case, a duo of vases designed by English designer Bethan Laura Wood and produced by Venetian hand-blown glass experts Venini. Colourdisc is a perfect synthesis between centenary art and contemporary design, featuring a fruit bowl and a cylindrical flower vase. They each comprise a series of coloured compositions of discs and diamonds in Murano glass, cast in metal forms and placed around a brass volume – and available in two light finishes. One can even choose to add an optional blown glass vase in amber or horizon blue for an additional pop of colour (and to make it easier to fill up with water for flowers). The colours of the decorative glass are sourced from the Venini Archive, and they overlap and create a third shade. When hit with sunlight, the colours reflect on the vase to create a kaleidoscopic effect.
Natural beauty
Some of the most loved furniture designs are now being recreated in outdoor editions as more people begin to favour indoor/outdoor living. Minotti’s latest outdoor collection features some of its indoor favourites – including, as featured here, the Sendai family of seats designed by Inoda+Sveje, complete with elegant and airy lines. The Sendai Cord Outdoor features an upholstered volume, stylised through the skilful use of cord in colours including ecru, burgundy and dark brown, and reminiscent of the nautical themes of summer. The light aesthetic of the chair creates a harmonious contrast when combined with bulkier seating systems, with a swivel system that is completed by a natural teak finish.
Play time
The new In & Out rug collection designed by Deanna Comellini for GT Design is inspired – just as its name suggests – by the hula hoops of our childhoods. The series of circular and oval-shaped rugs features a ribbed texture that has been handmade using a non-toxic technical yarn, and is resistant to wear-and-tear, UV rays and even bacteria. Hula Hoop is available in circular and oval models and across seven colour combinations, including: Penny, a brick-shade red with white and orange accents, created as an ode to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company trains’ colour scheme; Racing, alluding to British Racing Green, the official colour of British race cars from the early 1900s; and Jet, a metallic grey recalling the shade of an airplane’s fuselage. The versatile rug collection can be adapted to any type of indoor and outdoor space.
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