Designing for comfort, Furniture

As designers flock to the world’s largest furniture fair in Milan, nostalgic styles take centrestage in response to guest desires for hotels that feel like home, Designing for comfort, Furniture.

F ollowing this year’s Salone del Mobile, design trends suggest that consumers are seeking comfort and warmth over pareddown styles. Driven largely by the influence of Airbnb and extended-stay accommodation, collections launched across the city leaned towards homeliness by way of organic shapes, low profiles and short legs, with rounded profiles preferred to the more linear designs of previous seasons. The use of colour similarly reflected a growing desire to embody the home-from-home, with warm neutrals and rich accents such as terracotta, burgundy and emerald green replacing minimal palettes. So too did the materials on display, with sumptuous velvets employed as an opulent yet tactile upholstery alternatives, and artisanal fabrics like rattan and wicker able to create a compelling mixture of textures with a raw look and feel. Nostalgic desires have not only blurred the boundaries between commercial and residential styles, but also the spaces in which we live and work. With more travellers than ever using hotel spaces as an office, greater importance is being placed on versatile furniture that is equally as comfortable for laptop use as it is for enjoying a cocktail. Shifting towards flexibility and wellbeing, modular designs and cosy furniture may be the answer to creating fluid environments for work, rest and play.

Evolving from the idea of two bent sheets of paper, and realised as sheets of woven cane turned into a wicker shell, the Fold Chair from Another Country has been created by Brussels-based designer Alain Gilles and features a metal structure that gives the impression of its rattan shell floating in the air. In harmony with the brand’s ethos of sustainable design, the sculptural lounge chair is crafted from sustainably-sourced and recyclable materials including wood, wicker and steel tubes. www.anothercountry.com

ALLERMUIR, Turo

The Turo range from Allermuir features a smooth twenty-sided cast aluminium structure that uses reinforced webbing to create a rigid support system. The tables also integrate multi-faceted leg details that add a subtle focal point, while its reflective properties bring an element of shadow and shading to interior spaces. Available with metal finishes for neutral or contrasting themes, Turo work surfaces are presented in a variety of laminates with a choice of MDF or plywood core. www.allermuir.com

FURNITURE FUSION, Lana

Produced with either tubular steel or curved solid wood frames, and upholstered in a wide range of fabrics or leathers, the Lana range from Furniture Fusion is driven by simplicity and comprises a lounge chair, sofa, bench and two tables. The range is adaptable to the desired colour schemes of various hospitality spaces, and is available with or without arms, and in low- or high-back models. www.furniturefusion.co.uk

TON, Chips

Featuring gentle curves, contrasting materials and manually-bent wood, the Chips Lounge Chair from Ton is characterised by a commanding airy backrest shaped like a potato crisp. Designed by Lucie Koldová, the collection also embraces a cosy seat made with pocket springs – which are commonly used in orthopaedic mattresses to ensure high levels of comfort. www.ton.eu

ETHIMO, Allaperto Mountain

Designed by Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez, Allaperto Mountain draws inspiration from nature and has been crafted in pickled teak and covered in woven Etwick fibre for comfort and durability. The result of an experimentation with various refined colours and materials, the series comprises a lounge armchair, two-seater sofa and a sun and lounge bed, while coffee tables are also available in square and rectangular models. www.ethimo.com

sources: Sleeper, July-August 2018.