Downtown Design
redazione 29/01/2024

Distinguishing marks

Details of upholstered furnishings, created for functional or aesthetic reasons, surprise and intrigue us, transforming sofas and armchairs into protagonists of the living area

They catch the eye, becoming distinctive features that set the tone of sofas, armchairs and entire collections. Details that sometimes become the main object, or act as graphic signs. Besides seating, ergonomics and comfort, soft furnishings reveal their character through particular coverings, armrests that become places to sit, supports in metal or wood that embrace and reinforce the seat itself. Decisive features that bring personality and appeal. Focal points of the living areas in elegant residential settings.

Cassina presents a new edition of the Utrecht chair (on cover) by Gerrit T. Rietveld, with covering that grabs attention in two chromatic variants. Inspired by nature, geometric shapes meet colors to create a lively pattern, a reminder of the red light of dusk glowing through the needles of Scots pine trees.

Fender collection by True Design, design Favaretto & Partners

Fender collection by True Design, design Favaretto & Partners

The Fender family of sofas and chairs created by Favaretto & Partners for True Design stems from an iconic, recognizable element: the armrest. The place where we usually rest our arms becomes a seat or an added support in its own right, a comfortable cylinder on which to linger, to use an armchair in a more dynamic, less formal way. To emphasize the iconic rounded shapes of Fender, the designers have chosen Kvadrat fabrics.

Oscar collection by Meridiani, design Andrea Parisio

Oscar collection by Meridiani, design Andrea Parisio

Still on the theme of roundness, the letter O is the graphic sign that gives rise to the Oscar collection by Andrea Parisio for Meridiani: the sofa, chaise longue and chair express elegance through a soft line and contemporary details.

Za:Za by Zanotta, design Zaven

Za:Za by Zanotta, design Zaven

Za:Za by Zanotta, designed by Zaven, stems from a perspective of recycling and thus of sustainability for soft furnishings. The fulcrum of the project is easy disassembly of the parts, each of which can then find its own path of reuse. The metal skeleton supports the polyester belting, creating a cradle for the padded portions. Armrests, backs and seats, fitted like a sartorial creation.

Rondò by Armani/Casa

Rondò by Armani/Casa

Loveseat, Lowland collection by Moroso, design Patricia Urquiola - Photo © Leonardo Duggento

Loveseat, Lowland collection by Moroso, design Patricia Urquiola – Photo © Leonardo Duggento

Rondò by Armani/Casa is a chair with an enveloping shape, thanks to its curved design. The back generates a single element with the rounded armrests. Seen from the back, the chair has a particular, almost spherical silhouette, thanks to which it can easily become the central presence in any room.

Lowland, the system of upholstered seating designed by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso in 2000, has been reformulated in a new version – Loveland and the Loveseat (in the photo). The solidity of the bases of the sofa, required to sustain and distribute the weight of the seating elements, is transformed into a leg, rounded and lightened to the point of protruding from the volume. A structural solution that brings a forceful, contemporary personality.

Ouverture by Poltrona Frau, design Pierluigi Cerri

Ouverture by Poltrona Frau, design Pierluigi Cerri

After 40 years, Poltrona Frau reinterprets Ouverture, designed by Pierluigi Cerri in 1982. The piece narrates research on a language that set out to make a clean break with the formalism of the past. With its provocative concept, Ouverture stands out for its brutalist structure, and for the contrast between references to industrial architecture and the soft cushions in Pelle Frau® or fabric.

Fiocco by Flou, design Pinuccio Borgonovo

Fiocco by Flou, design Pinuccio Borgonovo

Fiocco, designed by Pinuccio Borgonovo for Flou, is composed of parts for easy grouping, where the ample cushions in two heights can act as backs or armrests, attached to bases in curved U-shaped metal: a functional and aesthetic expedient that contains them, leaving as much room as possible for the textile component and heightening the sensation of welcoming comfort.

Cushy by Etro Home Interiors, design Marco De Vincenzo

Cushy by Etro Home Interiors, design Marco De Vincenzo

The Cushy three-seat sofa by Etro Home Interiors designed by Marco De Vincenzo is covered in Pluma col Blue fabric. A perfect expression of a new aesthetic made of vivid colors and immersive fabrics, Cushy covers a range of items: sofa, armchair, dormeuse, bed and ottoman. In the image, the covering in the new Pluma fabric, with a rich, tactile and relaxing shade of blue, contributes to boost the contemporary appeal of the sofa. For the armchair in the same line, the selected covering is the Onda fabric, also in tones of blue.

Kashima by Lignet Roset, design Michel Ducaroy

Kashima by Lignet Roset, design Michel Ducaroy

Ligne Roset reinterprets its emblematic Kashima model by Michel Ducaroy, a project from 1976 that brings a modern update to the classic Chesterfield sofa. Kashima, behind its cheerful look, conceals soft comfort driven by rounded lines (armrests, lower back supports, headrests). The rationality of the forms does not preclude a touch of fantasy: the completely quilted covering of the seat forms “pinched” creases at the corners, reinforced by internal ties. The nest-shaped image of the seating makes it possible to relax while sitting on the sides.

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