"One eye sees, the other feels" said Paul Klee in his day. Among furniture designers, there is certainly a painterly sensibility for matter and color. And, currently, also a game of balances between the impulse to be contemporary and the curiosity for a past and traditions that, due to being remote, are irresistible.
At the recently held Salone del Mobile in Milan, and the innumerable exhibitions that accompany it in the city center, furniture and decorative proposals claim a leading role. They want to be seen. They bet on deep chromatics and geometries that, although rigorous, exude glamour.
Like the Hayama bar cabinet created by Patricia Urquiola and inspired by the traditional Japanese Haori jacket, which is worn over the kimono. With canneté-effect doors that accentuate the geometric contrast between the verticality and the oblique leg structure, it pays tribute to the ancient art of lacquering.
Marble and other precious stones preserve their prestige as elegant in the world of furniture. As intact material, the Yellowdot studio associates them with the archaic in the Millestone collection. They trust in the natural beauty of the waters of their strata, but introduce a plus of playful spirit with octagonal revolving envelopes.
A good number of designs are based on sediments and dregs from the past. The Melancolia collection of outdoor rugs and tapestries, by Sam Baron, alludes to English 18th century painting and literature, to Byron and Turner. Its author points out that for romantic artists, ivy, a plant of exceptional longevity, represents the transience of human passions and the power of nature. A climber, of course, capable of covering up the last romantic ruin.
Together with the symbolism of nature, the essential refinement. And the commitment to unquestionable values from the history of 20th century design, such as the Italian Gio Ponti. He has not been able to revisit himself. But Antonio Citterio does, adapting his Max sofa from the early 80s of the 20th century to contemporary comfort, with more generous proportions and additional padding. The fluidity of his cylindrical backrest is enhanced by the bicolor upholstery. The best creators know that their own design is almost always capable of being improved. Because details count and a lot in design.
