A paean to colour

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Photo by Daniele Mari

Armchairs, chairs, pouffes, cupboards, tables, clothes hangers and outdoor collections have all taken on bright colours, bestowing great powers of expression on every possible space.

Colour is one of the trends to emerge from the new proposals at “supersalone.” The absolute star of many design pieces, it is capable of arousing emotions and even taking on a symbolic role. Colour is no longer just a perception or a quality of things, it’s a psychological category in its own right, along with the way it is produced, how it is channelled and how it is narrated. It’s a trigger for positivity, it emits comfort and wellbeing and stimulates creativity. Thus vibrant, bold shades narrate the soul and personality of those who inhabit the space. Here’s a taster of the most iconic pieces.

Maximus, Bla Station (Pad 02 – Stand K 20)

Light and soft, like a piece of cartoon furniture, the Maximus armchair designed by Johan Ansande for Bla Station explores a classic material, wood, in a contemporary key, produced using 3D modelling. The result is a rounded piece, in which both seat and backrest are made of two reversed pieces of ash; the legs too are solid wood. Available in clear lacquered wood or in a choice of colours: black and red.

Margherita, Edra (Pad 02 – Stand C 16)

Storet, Acerbis (Pad 02 – Stand D 26)

The pink Storet chest of drawers from Acerbis embodies the magical and visionary feel of creations by Nanda Vigo. A piece that reflects the contemporary progress of production methods: the craftsmanship of the wood underscores the company’s decades of skilled cabinet making. Produced in ash, its vertical structure is set off by shiny lacquered drawers, making for a strong splash of personality in the space.

Simoon, Glas Italia (Pad 02 – Stand F16)

Amethyst and dark topaz are the colours chosen for the Simoon collection of low tables designed by Patrizia Urquiola for Glas Italia. The project is based on simplified geometries that inform constructions made up of essential and defined lines, highlighting the material. Small pieces of architecture in which experimentation has led to “glass-non-glass” created with UV-bonded extralight sheets of glass. The surface is coated with a special “grenaille” obtained from recycled and ground Murano glass.

glass — Glass Italia, Photo by Daniele Mari

Apulo, Natuzzi Italia (Pad 02 – Stand G 32)

Orange is the colour chosen for Apulo, a pure and essential sofa designed for the new Natuzzi Italia collection by the Formafantasma duo–Simone Farresin and Andrea Trimarchi. As its name suggests, the inspiration for the sofa came from Apulia, evoking the area’s farming tradition. The curves of the sofa, for example, draw on the barrel-vaulted ceilings of the farmhouses. It’s a sofa that will look as good in an office as in a home, combining multifunctionality, comfort and design.

Snowpouf, Caimi (Pad 02 – Stand G 32)

Snowpouf, the original project designed by Paola Navone for Caimi, is channelling green. An appealing pouffe with a lightweight appearance, it is easy to move around thanks to a simple handle. It’s covered in Snowsound Fiber, a special sound-absorbing fabric patented by the company, applied to a wood and soft polyester shell. Its rounded shape is reminiscent of Chinese drums and guarantees maximum comfort.

Caimi is also showcasing the amusing, coloured metal Battista Color coat stand, designed by Michele De Lucchi and Sezgin Aksu. The top is made of epoxy powder-coated die-cast aluminium, while both upright and base are made of epoxy powder-coated steel.

Tappeti Venus e Nuvola di CC-Tapis (Pad 02 – Stand H 10)

Venus and Nuvola are both brightly coloured rugs from the new Venus Power collection, designed by Patricia Urquiola for cc-tapis. A vortex of colour, inspired by the intriguing atmosphere around Venus, and reminiscent of Graffiti Art. The strong black lines of the design are hand-carved by Tibetan craftsmen and emerge in soft, curved 3D form, repeated in the silhouette of the rugs, which pays homage to the female archetypes.

Miss Wood, Missoni Home (Pad 04 – Stand E 10)

Miss Wood from Missoni Home is the new collection of sinuously elegant solid wood chairs in five different shades, boasting rounded geometries. Its sculptural lines make for a robust lightness, informed by an in-depth study into equilibrium and resistance. One interesting aspect is the lack of sharp edges to the joints, conferring plasticity on the frame. Produced with high-tech processes, the chair is hand-finished, smoothed and painted in a choice of the brand’s iconic delicate shades.

Emilia and Teresa, Meridiani (Pad 02 – Stand E 03)

Well-defined lines and lightness are what characterise Emilia from Meridiani, a chair distinguished by its contained proportions and the sleekness of its solid wood structure. Colour takes the upper hand, marrying perfectly with the soft, rounded shapes. Teresa, on the other hand, is an armchair characterised by essential lines that take on form and structure through the warmth and material quality of the skilfully fashioned solid oak. Soft and welcoming, the backrest and seat are upholstered in a choice of fabrics and leathers.

Cilia, Arper (Pad 04 – Stand D 02)

Designed by Lievore Altherr for Arper, Cilia is a chair boasting fluid lines that conjure up an image of clothes made of fabric. Its gentle silhouette reveals the particular nature of the curves, evoking a primaeval image of shelter. Available in five coloured finishes, it can also be covered and can be paired with a cushion in a range of different shades.

Pavone, Visionnaire (Pad 04 – Stand C 01)

The star of the Visionnaire stand is the famous “Pavone” [Peacock] installation, conceived by Marc Ange, the Los Angeles-based French/Italian artist, an art design manifesto on the theme of diversity & inclusion, presented for the first time at Miami Art Basel in December 2019. The Pavone throne is boasting new plumage, in three different colour variations, and is proposed with a new exclusive low-impact velvet covering made from recycled plastic bottles and a carbon neutral process.

Beaulieu chair, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH (Pad 04 – Stand C 08)

Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH is showcasing the new BEAULIEU beechwood chair, designed by Philippe Nigro, in various colours: yellow, orange, glue, red and green. The curves, assembled like a construction kit, come together to create the back and arm rests, and can be used to build two different typologies, with just a few modifications: a chair and a comfy armchair.

Nepal armchair, Baxter (Pad 02 – Stand C 27)

Yellow reigns supreme when it comes to the Nepal armchair designed by Paola Navone for Baxter. It’s a statement piece that will appeal to those seeking something that will make a powerful visual impact, upholstered in Mongolian leather, which is hairy, soft and delicate to touch. The frame is made of metal, while the seat is in birch plywood and the curved backrest in beech plywood. It boasts differentiated density polyurethane foam padding with fibre acrylic upholstery.

G01 outdoor shower, Gessi (Pad 02 – Stand A 22)

The central theme is colour when it comes to the range of Gessi outdoor showers. The G01 Outdoor shower is elegant and discreet, making for a contemporary open-air style and blending with the surrounding nature. Made of stainless steel, G01’s slender, tubular form brings a touch of design to the landscape.

Lilas, Gallotti e Radice (Pad 02 – Stand D 14)

The Lilas armchair, designed by Dainelli Studio for Gallotti e Radice, is making an appearance in green. The proportions of the volumes make it an elegant object, suitable for different types of location. It consists of an internal structure in wood and wood by-products, padded with fire-resistant indeformable foam polyurethane and fire-resistant polyester fibre. Available in a fixed version or with a 180° swivel movement with return.

Twiggy Elle lamp di Foscarini (Pad 04 – Stand B 01)

The iconic Twiggy lamp from Foscarini, designed by Marc Sadler, is in red. It stands out for its graphic, arched, slender, flexible line. The diffuser illuminates the space beneath, bestowing a welcoming light and setting up a dialogue between the light source and the space.

Ruff, Moroso (Pad 04 – Stand A 02)

Ruff is a small armchair designed by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso. The generous armrests sit on the side of the seat, enveloping it closely although they meet at a single point. The result is a harmonious balance of curved and straight lines – a simple geometry that dialogues architecturally with the surrounding space.