Italian design houses are where trends begin, and this edit
of recent launches from the world’s best brands is what is informing all the key looks and references right now
Baxter
Electric blue leather? We’re in. Vivid though it may be, this Yves Klein-esque shade is an utterly age-proof one – bedecked upon a seat that seems both multifaceted and simple, it radiates confidence, turning the chair into a glorious to-be-gazed-upon piece of art. Composed of simple, rounded pieces intersecting architecturally as if only just assembled, Ellie’s compact size, pared back form, smooth shapes and generous padding plus that look-at-me colouring make it a force to be reckoned
with that won’t be going anywhere soon.
Bonaldo
Asia desk/dressing table by Codato and Trevisiol
Asia comes as either a desk or vanity table (just add a mirror). The surface options span marbles from classic Cararra to deep red Rosso Carpazi and rich green Saint Denis, plus stone-style ceramics, elevated by ultra-slim legs with a bold cross-shaped support and frame in various metal finishes. Its enduring aspect is rooted in how it displays the beauty of its surface – quietly but with true presence. The rounded top is a celebration of nature’s bounty, given a design edge with the minimal, angular structure.
bonaldo.com
Bonaldo
Asia desk/dressing table by Codato and Trevisiol
Asia comes as either a desk or vanity table (just add a mirror). The surface options span marbles from classic Cararra to deep red Rosso Carpazi and rich green Saint Denis, plus stone-style ceramics, elevated by ultra-slim legs with a bold cross-shaped support and frame in various metal finishes. Its enduring aspect is rooted in how it displays the beauty of its surface – quietly but with true presence. The rounded top is a celebration of nature’s bounty, given a design edge with the minimal, angular structure.
Bontempi
Circle lamp by Studio F + B Design
A calligraphic sweep of nothing but pure movement, the Circle lamp is minimalism at its most authentic. The just-about-visible dark brass arc holds within its upper section a strip of dimmable LEDs poised to bring brightness to even the most hard-to-reach nooks; it’s just shy of a seven feet stature anchored by a weighty concrete ball. Distinguished due to its complete devotion to simplicity, this sculptural piece is ageless in the same way a line or a gesture could be – both switched on or off.
Cattelan Italia
Maxim Argile dining table by Pio & Tito Toso Formed from liquid cement, the Maxim Argile table is imbued with an organic feel, its petal-like base and outrageously smooth top made with a manual cold moulding technique. After emerging from the cast, the table is covered by hand in a clay finish, ready for both indoor and outdoor spaces. Described by its designers as ‘a pure and direct object’, the simple, nature-inspired character of the Maxim Argile will see it struggle to age, the piece feeling more like a wind-eroded rock formation than something engineered.
Rimadesio
Zenit bookcase by Giuseppe Bavuso
‘Precision, reliability and freedom of arrangement over time make Zenit a unique and distinctive product,’ explains Rimadesio CEO Davide Malberti of the brand’s innovative bookcase, which is defined by its floor-to-ceiling frame. Its everlasting quality arises from its inherent flexibility. Each piece is made to measure in a variety of finishes and materials able to be added to or modified. The original design has already been refreshed with additions such as backlighting and aluminum drawers which – like all elements – can be freely positioned over the 100% recyclable structure.
rimadesio.it
Dolce & Gabbana Casa
Planetario Giove loveseat by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana Irreverently transposing patterns of the distinctive ceramics of Southern Italy onto upholstery, the Planetario Giove loveseat is swathed in the fashion brand’s Blu Mediterraneo pattern in a dazzling array of scales. Like a hand cupping its contents, the rounded backrest holds a dive-into-me cluster of pillows, their squareness further evoking memories of sun kissed painted tiles. Its lasting quality stems from how unmistakably Dolce and Gabbana it is, the seat fusing unapologetically Italian opulence with a rule breaking attitude – now on a level too large for the closet.
B&B Italia
Lacquered Allure O’ table by Monica Arman
‘For Allure O’ table I designed light, precise, harmonious and lasting volumes that register in a person’s memory and evoke the fantastic glamour of the 1960s,’ says Monica Armani of her design, which artfully balances straight lines and clever, delicate curves (referencing of the shape of Jackie O’s majestic glasses). Its lasting quality stems from its astute contrasts – coated all over with bold layers of lacquer that create an attention-grabbing gloss, the table is calmed in timeless earthy tones or soothing neutrals, making it understated as well as a statement.
Edra
Standard Sofa by Francesco Binfaré
The result of twenty years of research and development, the Standard Sofa’s USP is its marvellous ability to create ever changing lounging positions, its perpetual relevance coming from its pure adaptability. The smart pillows that act as back and armrests allow for total freedom of position, moving in various directions prompted only by a gentle pressure, plus the seats offer different shapes, depths and upholstery options. Formal upright sitting, tilted relaxed lounging – it supports them all, each sitter able to personalise their own independent cushion without affecting others. It’s a feat of engineering into tailored comfort.
Gallotti&Radice
Soda sideboard by Draga & Aurel
Turning heads as soon as it hit Salone del Mobile in 2022, the Soda sideboard is crowned with a huge, sun-like circle of gold-toned glass supported by a grand, swooping timber frame – unquestionably making it the ‘strong, confident piece’ its designers speak of it as. It’s a long-term legend thanks to its chameleon
qualities – while almost startlingly attention grabbing, it can also sit quietly in a space, its smooth form and tonal shades helping it to fit in with harmony and grace.
gallottiradice.it
Lema
Tian wardrobe by Officinadesign Lema. ‘Tian was conceived as an aquarium integrating into the surroundings, a fully transparent wardrobe that allows the visibility of its contents,’ explains the company’s President Angelo Meroni. ‘It’s like a treasure chest, not only preserving clothes and accessories but visually enhancing them’. The most contemporary cabinet of curiosities, Tian deftly conceals all inner workings, pulling the gaze to what’s within and transforming clothing, accessories and more into part of the furniture, the wardrobe ever on trend thanks to its smooth, seamless design and continually refreshed contents.