Brussels Furniture Fair
giulia-guzzini 19/04/2023

Forever outdoor

Increasingly ductile and flexible, furniture mirror our ways of living and adapt to the nomadic and increasingly fluid lifestyles that characterise the contemporary world. They are transversal and functional and often rework classic product types in the light of new ways of living

VONDON | Time rediscovered
Designing the Hamptons collection, Ramon Esteve has taken his cue from a masterpiece of the American 20th century, the novel The Great Gatsby by Francis Scott Fitzgerald. Sophistication, exclusive quality; but also mystery, intrigue, luxury. Translated into a contemporary language. A series of pieces with essential but never stripped-down design, where the style emerges in the materials and the details. The structure in glossy coated metal tubing suggests the lightness of docks; that wooden parts that support the armrests remind us of old deck chairs; the wide stripes of the fabric make reference to beach cabins. An aesthetic vocabulary that speaks of summer, rediscovered time, rituals that are a tribute to the beauty of leisure. An aspirational collection, embodying the American dream and its appealing outdoor lifestyle, calm and relaxed, for enjoyable contemplation.

Talenti, Karen, design Ludovica+Roberto Palomba

TALENTI | Out of Africa
A complete collection of outdoor furniture designed by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba for Talenti, Karen is a clear homage to the African continent and to Karen Blixen, the author of “Out of Africa”. «We wanted to convey the strength and beauty of this land in the design, focussing on the intertwined details of the two rings that become armrests» say the architects. The sofa, daybed and armchair in the series are in fact characterised by a tribal aesthetic that can be perceived in the enveloping forms and curved lines of the armrests that give these chairs the regal feel of a throne. The furniture is made with a wooden structure around which is wrapped the rope that, perfectly taut, acts as a backrest for the soft padded cushions. Three colours are available: natural teak – taupe, natural teak – grey and natural teak – green pine.  Finally, the collection is completed with low tables, tables and dining chairs.

Pratic, Carrera

PRATIC | Massimo comfort outdoor
Pratic’s bioclimatic pergola technology has developed even further with Carrera. The latest model presented by the Fruili-based brand, specialised in the design of bioclimatic pergolas and awnings  is fitted with an outdoor screen with alternating fixed and mobile slats that can be lifted and stacked on top of one another, following the natural movement of the sun. Fixed and moving aluminium slats alternate on two levels of depth, giving the closed ceiling a sophisticated three dimensional effect. The introduction of fixed slats also revolutionises its potential in terms of  installation: for the first time in fact, the upper cover of the pergola can be used for installing  hanging elements such as lamps, heaters or sound systems. With a simple movement, the mobile slats are raised and slide until they disappear, aligned above the fixed ones. What is more, depending on the angle of the sun or the amount of light desired, the slats move from right to left and vice versa.

Scavolini, Formalia Outdoor, design Vittore Niolu

SCAVOLINI | En plein air
A natural extension of the Formalia system by Scavolini, Formalia Outdoor is the first kitchen designed by the Italian brand for outdoor settings. The strong points of the product are the design, evident in the profiled door that the handle is set into, the functionality, expressed for example in the possibility of introducing lower or open-fronted elements, and the high quality of the materials. As well as guaranteeing high standards of resistance, essential in outdoor settings, the materials selected express an elegant and sophisticated style. The aluminium structure and worktop with integrated washing area, available both in steel and in various other materials, can be combined with two different door finishes: in steel for a technical look or in exterior-grade wood – Okumè ply with teak veneer – that gives a more textured overall look.

Ethimo, Allaperto bistrot, design Matteo Thun & Antonio Rodriguez

Ethimo, Allaperto bistrot, design Matteo Thun & Antonio Rodriguez

ETHIMO | Forever outdoor
Drawing extensively on the cosy atmosphere of French cafes, Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez have designed a dining version of the successful Allaperto furniture collection for Ethimo, originally designed to enhance outdoor settings in the mountains. The new Allaperto Bistro chair is characterised by the ergonomic comfort of the seat and a highly contemporary appearance that at the same time retains the unique artisanal charm of the weave. The seat consists of a structure that combines teak and metal, in a Coffee Brown finish, with hand-woven cord that forms the shape of the body. The weave, created in a herringbone pattern, is available in Sand, Sand and Dark Grey, or Sand and Sage coloured cord, that emphasise the design with a natural colour palette that fits discreetly in outdoor settings. Designed to be easy to stack so as to make storage operations easier, the chair can be easily matched with tables of different shape, type and materials.

Perennials and Sutherland, Monaco, design Eugeni Quittlet

Roda, Estendo, design Luca Pevere 

PERENNIALS | Good first!
Double debut for Perennials and Sutherland on the Design Week stage, featuring Sutherland Furniture’s new creative director, Eugeni Quittlet, and the new Monaco collection he designed. Monaco presents a bistro table and chair with infinite possibilities: modern, versatile, delicate in its material combinations that give different tactilities, it crosses the most varied outdoor contexts with its aesthetic lightness. In these principles can be found the identity of the brand, which since 1991 has been creating outdoor furniture sets that convey “honesty, authenticity and elegance”.

RODA | Extension in space and time
For Roda, Luca Pevere has designed the Estendo sofa: modular, for outdoor use, and ready for a future of new configurations. The new Estendo sofa by Roda crosses over times and styles. The designer Luca Pevere took his cue from the historic Japan Chair created in 1957 by the Danish designer Finn Juhl, to create a contemporary outdoor solution with a strong character that is also ready to evolve, adapting to spaces, uses and functions. Pevere borrows the image of the original back in wooden rod, translating it into aluminium, “making it the distinctive feature, the connection between the various seating modules, with the possibility of closing around the armrest,” the designer says. This light frame supports the soft cushions, generating linear structures for one, two or three seats, with or without armrests, and a corner version. Thanks to the two main sections, placed below the seat and at the ends of the back, permitting connection of the various modules, an open structure is created which can be lengthened and extended (hence the name) at a later date.

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