The versatile experimental approach of Talenti, the refined style of Jean-Philippe Nuel. It’s a sublime interaction that has led to the creation of the Riviera outdoor collection. A line that represents a compendium of the new, not just for its recent debut on the design scene, but also because it is the first interaction of the Umbria-based brand with this French architect and designer, and includes the unprecedented introduction of porcelain stoneware in the outdoor furniture offerings of Talenti.
“Stoneware offers more and more interesting technical and aesthetic possibilities. This material is also interesting for its solidity and non-porosity. Using it as an armrest and as a table was also to play with uses, since the armrest becomes an occasional table where it is easy to put a glass”, tells us the designer.
Formulated to include a complete range of proposals, including sofas, tables, chairs and cots, Riviera displays its charm by starting with the balanced, simultaneous use of materials like ceramics, leather, fabrics, as well as aluminium and – as we were saying – stoneware: an assortment that guarantees high performance and strength in open-air contexts (residential spaces, hotels, yachts). On a stylistic level, the pieces embody pure forms and linear profiles.
The leather belting to support the headrest cushions of the chairs and cots, or the stoneware applied not just for the tops of large and small tables, but also as a distinctive features of the large armrests: everything triggers an unexpected tactile adventure, enjoyed in comfort on the living room armchairs with deep seats, and the two-seat sofa, a synthesis of functional and aesthetic quality.
“The inspiration for the collection is the yachting world of cruises. Deck chairs were the emblematic furniture of the outer decks of the great transatlantic liners. Director’s chairs are also commonly used on yachts and sailing boats for their light weight and ease of use. This universe was the “backdrop” and the inspiring concept of the collection, echoing the haute couture cruise collections originally intended for customers fleeing the cold of autumn and winter, and embarking for long cruises in the sun”, explain the architect Jean-Philippe Nuel.
In Riviera, Jean-Philippe Nuel condenses his architectural approach to design – always with an eye on enhancement of the context, minimal elegance, and a perception of enveloping lightness: the raised bases of the seats, the geometric structures that are never banal in their design (the feet even terminate with the touch of a curve), the denser and slightly curved backs of the armchairs and sofas: everything guarantees comfort while at the same time creating a graphic game of lines to catch the eye.
