Insights into the world of design. A detailed focus on manufacturing companies, new collections, designers and products from the best European brands.

Marelli: Atene collection designed by Luca Erba

Giulio Marelli Atene collection

Giulio Marelli is one the Made in Italy brands with whom we collaborate. We’ve had the opportunity to interview Luca Erba, the designer of the new Atene collection.

Luca Erba

He is an Italian architect and designer.

Born in Brianza in 1984, in the heart of the furniture district, he graduated in Architecture at Politecnico di Milano in 2010 and founded his studio.

A profound territorial, material and formal research is the basis of the creative process: Luca develops projects ranging from architecture to graphics and from interior to product design, collaborating with Italian and international brands.

The approach to the project celebrates the union between materials, industrial design, natural shapes and refined craftsmanship, with the desire to create objects that last over time, with a contemporary taste and a strong personality.

Atene collection

The Atene collection is the maximum synthesis of the classic trilithic system used in ancient Greece, the oldest simple structure, consisting of two piers on which the architrave rests.

In an apparent state of simple support, the Atene coffee tables are composed of 3 metal cylinders that support the marble or glass top in a perfect state of balance, framed by a metal ring that gives volume and solidity. A tribute to classical architecture.

The collection consists of coffee tables and side tables in different diameters and heights: five different sizes and heights are available. They can be customized in all the marble glass and metal finishes. The round shape is the distinctive element of this new collection.

Wave and Noah collection

In addition to Atene, Wave has been designed for Giulio Marelli, a large family of tables and coffee tables whose distinctive feature is a base made up of two thin curved metal sheets, reminiscent of the movement of waves. In addition, Noah, a large collection of upholstered furniture with generous and full proportions with a stroke that stands out for its contemporary roundness.

New products

During the 60th edition of the Salone del Mobile 2022, Marelli presented new products: Onno, a sculptural and vigorous dining table with Linda, a Nordic-inspired dining armchair with extremely soft and delicate lines.

The favourite product

“The recent Linda armchair is a piece to which I am very attached because the design of a chair is always something very intimate”.

Luca Erba

In addition to having to be beautiful and in line with market trends, a seat must also find the maximum harmony with the people who will use it. It is perhaps the most difficult object to make but at the same time the most complete and stimulating.

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Vismara Design: luxury furniture for entertainment

Vismara Design luxury furniture for entertainment

Vismara Design was founded in 1950 by three brothers: Aldo, Enrico and Luigi, who had the same passion for furniture. The great turning point took place in the 90s, thanks to the visionary designer Pino Vismara, who created a new product concept: the CD and DVD cabinet. 

“From this moment the brand acquired notoriety all over the world, thanks to real pieces of contemporary design.”

Vismara’s philosophy

Love and dedication to noble work are the real driving force behind Vismara. 

“Our philosophy is very simple: the customer is at the center of every process, from the first contacts to after sales. What we offer is not just a luxury product, but a luxury service.”

Home entertainment

For the past 10 years, the company has strongly specialized in the concept of Home Entertainment, or products dedicated to entertainment for private residences.

Vismara Design’s commitment is, and has always been, to celebrate the beauty and luxury of free time.

“In Vismara we have specialized in the creation and construction of home theaters, offering a highly customizable product, packaged on the basis of the customer’s wishes and the space available.”

Another growing trend is the Game Room, or areas dedicated to different types of games, from poker tables to pool tables, from soccer tables to chess tables.

Kubrik Sofa

Kubrik is the perfect product to complete the now popular Media Room.

Its design is modern and essential, the ergonomics are designed to be a comfortable seat for prolonged use. Thanks to the presence of two motors, the reclining of the backrest and footrest can be controlled separately from that of the headrest, reaching the ideal position and maximum comfort.

Blade Table Tennis Table

The Blade Table Tennis table is the reinterpretation of a classic game, of common use and knowledge, revolutionized and elevated to an exclusive product.

The structure of the table is entirely covered in leather with the exception of the game top, in wood essence. The Ping Pong Blade table is designed to be used also as a conference / dining table and is complete with all the accessories for play: removable net, rackets and balls, stored inside a hidden drawer.

Metropolis Collection

The Metropolis Collection, presented in its entirety at the Salone del Mobile Milano 2022, is a hymn to the fusion of cultures, innovation and progress.

The new models of Game Tables are characterized by an extremely contemporary style and a timeless design.

In a historical period in which the world seems to be strengthening its borders, the Metropolis collection aims to claim the freedom of the individual and the fluidity of connections.

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B—Line brings to life some historical icons of Italian design furniture

b-line furniture

B—Line is a company founded by Giorgio Bordin in 1999. It restores life to several historical icons of design on the Italian scenario: these are works that have disappeared over the years.

Of the products re-edited the best-known is Joe Colombo’s famous Boby.

Timeless collection

The Timeless collection is dedicated to the greatest designers of the past, who combined aesthetics and functionality.

Expanded in the color palette and updated in the choice of materials and production technologies, the B-Line re-editions are developed by the company drawing on autographed drawings and collaborating with the studios that have collected the legacy of the great masters. 

This collection includes: Boby, Multichair, Supercomfort, Ring, Crossed, Spinny, 4/4, Aki, Buk, Boomerang and Esa.

Zero-mile Sustainability

B—Line’s gives particular attention to sustainability, linked to the durability of its products.

All B—Line products are entirely “Made in Italy” and tend to be “Zero-Mile”. In fact, the company favours neighbouring concerns that are the source of incredible skills that constitute a heritage of the highest craftsmanship and excellence to be safeguarded.

Environmental protection is at the root of the whole productive process. Transport and recycling involve huge squandering of energy and consumptions, which B—Line seeks to avoid

The most exemplary products

Boby

The concept of versatility and usability distinguishes all B—Line products and is represented at the highest levels by the Boby container trolley designed by Joe Colombo in 1970 to ensure easy vertical modularity and allow for different configurations with customized capacities.

Ring

Ring (Joe Colombo, 1964), is a container module that can act as a coffee table and once stacked it multiplies the capacity to furnish walls or create dividers. 

Multichair

Multichair (Joe Colombo, 1970) is a transformable system through the combination of the two cushions that compose it and thanks to the repositionable leather straps and the brushed-chrome steel bushings. 

4/4

4/4 (Rodolfo Bonetto, 1969) These are four identical elements which can be juxtaposed or stacked, thanks to the special inserts, to compose coffee tables, serpentine tables or modular bookcases.

Merano

Merano (Raffaella Mangiarotti and Ilkka Suppanen, 2017 ) A light and elegant collection suitable for indoors and outdoors consisting of lounge chair, pouf, two-seater sofa and bench. Once the frame has been separated from the cushions, it is possible to break the structure into two parts.

Fonda

Fonda (Maddalena Casadei, 2018) A table with almost archetypal lines, born from a softened reworking of the geometries.

Re-editions and contemporary products: how the two elements combine

From the very beginning, B-Line has combined its re-editions with contemporary furnishing accessories, the result of collaborations with international designers with the aim of incorporating different views and cultures and satisfying customer requests based on different sensitivities.

These are concrete, usable and transversal projects that have the burden and the honor of coexisting with the great cornerstones of design and convincing in terms of character and style to pass naturally from domestic environments to working spaces and from inside to outside. , areas that are increasingly hybrid and changing as the contemporary lifestyle dictates.

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Credits

Cover: Photo by Miro Zagnoli and Styling by Maddalena Casadei

Products: Photos by Claudio Visentin, Andrea Pancino, Alberto Parise, Beppe Brancato, Miro Zagnoli, Salmaso Fotografia.

Carpanese Home: the philosophy of living

Carpanese Home Living

We have close cooperations, which allow us to offer customization possibilities, quick shipping and competitive prices.

Among the best luxury brands with which we collaborate there is Carpanese Home Italia.

Carpanese Home Italia

In 1990, after a long experience gained in the production and processing of wood, Marco Bellani founded Carpanese Home Italia, with the goal to create the most luxurious interior furniture using only the best materials available.

The company is based in the heart of furniture district in Northern Italy, near Verona. 

Marco Bellani and Mirco Bellani

The philosophy of the company

The main philosophy of Carpanese Home Italia is to create something unique and special, without ever giving up the most absolute quality and providing a concept of atmosphere created with Italian taste and a passion for what they do.

“We don’t sell only furniture, we sell a philosophy of living. We decided to produce not only furniture, but also Lights, Boiserie, Wallpapers, Carpets, Doors, everything to create a complete package.”

Marco Bellani

Tailor Made program

The main priority is customer satisfaction and it is the main reason why they introduced the “Tailor Made” program. The client can choose from a great range of finishing, fabrics, leathers and nabuk;

“We can also modify or change the items accordingly with the demands of our clients, changing dimensions, creating new special finishing that suites their taste, finding different materials or fabrics.The only limit is only customer imagination.”

“Tailor Made” because, like a haute couture suit, each piece can be tailor-made for the customer.

The best products

When asked what are their favorite products Mirco and Marco Bellani tell us that they are very proud of their new Identity collection. This is because it is the latest born, created to set a new high standard for the most modern and contemporary style, where they focus more on the single product, creating iconic objects that can be mixed, but also taken individually, just like jewelry or pieces of art for your home.

“Each piece is an icon in its own right, designed to impress and be the main protagonist of your home, while remaining perfectly in line and mixable with all the others.”

In particular, the most important item is the Imperial Table, which with its unique design, also won the latest edition of the Archiproducts Design Awards.

Tradition and innovation

Tradition and innovation are two fundamental characteristics. 

“By combining traditional and tested construction methods with innovative design, thanks also to the continuous search for new materials, we remain faithful to our origins, while evolving and looking to the future.”

This contrast is possible thanks to the vision of Marco Bellani, who wanted to preserve the traditional techniques, but also wanted to keep improving, always finding new ways to create timeless pieces.

An example of this is the Imperial Table, which combines classic materials such as leather, glass and metal, with a new design and the technological innovation of a new polymer, specially designed and developed to make the transparent bases.

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Global logistics chain: the effects of the pandemic

How the Covid-19 pandemic affected the supply chain around the world.

The Covid-19 outbreak

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a crisis of the global supply chain: ships stuck at sea, warehouses overflowing, trucks without drivers.

Businesses across the economy struggled to hire workers and they have reacted to shortages by ordering earlier and extra that has placed more strain on the system.

When the pandemic struck in early 2020, people and businesses were quickly forced to restrict their activity, sending the global economy into a brief but damaging free fall. 
Under the model, called “just in time” manufacturing, companies stockpile as few raw materials and parts as possible, instead buying what they need as they need it.

The New York Times

China

With the closure of offices, stores and factories, companies laid off workers en masse. Moreover, there was a sudden need of surgical masks and other protective gear, made in China.

As Chinese factories ramped up to meet the new demand, cargo vessels delivered protective gear around the globe, even to regions that do relatively little trade with China, such as West Africa.

The New York Times

This led to a shortage of shipping containers in China.

United States

The spending in the United States was encouraged by government stimulus programs to resuscitate the economy.

As a result of the demand increase, a wave of factory goods swiftly overwhelmed U.S. ports. Swelling orders also outstripped the availability of shipping containers, and the cost of shipping a container from Shanghai to Los Angeles skyrocketed tenfold.

Online shopping

The many lockdowns in cities have changed the spending habits of entire countries overnight.

This has generated an increase in online sales.

Online shopping actually increased by at least 10 percentage points across most product categories, most notably: electronics, DIY, education, cosmetics, home goods, and pharmaceuticals.

The supply chain issue: what can we expect?

The supply chain has become a central political issue and it is likely to last for many more months — if not years. The emergence of new Covid variants during 2022 could accentuate some of the current pressures.

Despite some easing in recent months, international shipping costs are likely to remain high in 2022.

Sources: The New York Times, The Conversation, Ansa.

The sinuous anatomy of nature in Michael Sean Stolworthy’s design

Serous Bar Stool by Michael Sean Stolworthy

Michael Sean Stolworthy’s unique style is characterized by sinuous shapes inspired by nature in a continuous exploration of forms.

Who is Michael Sean Stolworthy

Michael Sean Stolworthy
Michael Sean Stolworthy.

Michael is an internationally acclaimed designer.

After earning a degree in Media Arts and 3-D Animation, Michael decides to move away from the world of corporate design and to fully explore the fusion of art and product design.

In 2010 he founded MSMD | Studio, his design studio based in Las Vegas, NV USA, where today he designs and creates visual effects, theatrical events, staging, furniture and objects, combining traditional production methods with computer-aided production.

Its clients also include major brands such as Marvel Studios, Ferrari, Microsoft, Samsung, Royal Caribbean and many more.

We had the pleasure of meeting Michael in 2021, for a great project that we took care of in Australia and we immediately appreciated his personality, professionalism and his unique style.

For these reasons we decided to ask him some questions and post his answers on our blog.

Nature as inspiration.

“I’m fascinated by the sinuous anatomy found in nature and the ocean. Fluid organic forms in the beauty of the raw world around us.”

Michael Sean Stolworthy

In his works it’s very important the relation between art and design.

He affirmed: “I aim to translate the sinuous language of nature into curvaceous fluid forms infused with a subtle balance of modern and contemporary flare. Harnessing technology with a digital workflow, I capitalize on the power and vast possibilities of design software, 3D printing, and automated machining. These tools give me the freedom to push at the boundaries between art & design and ultimately bring my organic design visions into the real world”.

The dream project.

Michael says his dream project is the Serous chairs: “My “Serous” chairs were featured in the Oscar winning Marvel Studios film Black Panther! I was contacted by the studio while they were still filming and was commissioned to make 15 exclusive pieces for the Vibranium Technology Lab scenes. It was surreal to see my work on the big screen. The film won the Oscar for Best Production Design & Set Decoration as well! To add to that, I was invited again to design for the sequel Black Panther II film releasing later this year. You will see some very cool organic works with my signature on them.”

Inflection table and Plexus drink table.

Among his best designs there are the Inflection table and the Plexus drink table. We asked him how they were conceived.

“Like many of my works I start out by studying and manipulating platonic solids and geometric primitive geometries and let my imagination do the rest. These pieces were conceived in such a way of bringing function and beauty to a mathematical form in the computer and having it transcend into a real world piece.”

Inflection Table

Derived as an exploratory computational design. Inflection points in differential geometry are the points of the curve where the curvature changes. Hammer forged in bronze and hand polished.

Plexus Drink Table

Geometrically morphed from a dodecahedron platonic solid into a chic network of subdued pentagonal & hexagonal voids. The Plexus table has a beautifully polished bronze exterior with a contrasting dark patina interior making it a curious piece for conversation.”

Image credits: MSMD | Studio – Marvel