Ample forms, extra-soft padding, welcoming volumes. These are the main characteristics of the new upholstered furnishings, able to generate an idea of comfort and classic style that establishes a dialogue with the contemporary world and its innovation in terms of materials and finishes. New systems organized in different, never conventional compositions, making it possible to rediscover a convivial and intimate dimension, facilitating conversation thanks to open forms, or creating a safe haven inside the home.
Timeless elegance is evoked by the design of the Chester Line sofa by Poltrona Frau, which expands its series with two curved two-seat sofas, in versions with or without armrests. The legendary capitonné work has been conserved on the back, while it vanishes from the base of the sofa. The metal feet are almost invisible, bringing the beauty of the seat into the foreground. Paola Navone takes inspiration from Mediterranean colours and traditions, creating a collection for Natuzzi focusing on simplicity and details which evokes the peaceful and relaxed lifestyle of Puglia, a way of relating to the Earth and to the others. The Argo sofa and armchairs, with their generous dimensions, are the symbols of this particular way of interpreting life and the living spaces. The collection is available in leather and textile cover, as well as in the new Water coverings designed by Dutch textile innovation studio BYBORRE (here the dedicated article)
Energy and fluidity make Sumo a very dynamic sofa, designed by Piero Lissoni for Living Divani to create harmony between the tapered, essential form of the pleasantly concave framework and the padded part, welcoming use in extreme comfort. Concave and convex design of the perimeter is also a focal point for the Ca’ Foscari sofa by Visionnaire, designed by Alessandro La Spada. Here the particular feature is the curvature of the foot used as a base of support. The mirror surface of the curved steel reflects the surrounding space, lightening the volume of the sofa, in a perfect blend of forms and materials.
Working on comfort and soft, reassuring forms is also a priority in the 2020 collection by Baxter, especially for the Milano sofa by Paola Navone, capable of transmitting a sense of protection, which has become increasingly important inside our homes. Rounded forms are also seen in Marenco, a great classic by Arflex that takes its name from its creator, Mario Marenco. The design balances cocoon-effect padding with an internal structure in metal tubing to offer correct support.
The Canadian designers George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg, for their first collaboration with B&B Italia, have developed Collezione Naviglio. In their vision, the base of the seat defines the space to accommodate a sinuous back/armrest, as on a riverbed. The duo transform geometry into softness, blending rigor and comfort. The same ability is demonstrated by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso with the Ruff armchair. The large armrests are placed at the sides of the seat and firmly embrace it, though the two parts meet only briefly at the extremities. Enveloping like a nest, the daybed from the LOLL family of Gervasoni, designed by Paola Navone, narrates an idea of contemporary comfort that becomes special in the details, the quality of the materials and the unique craftsmanship, with padded parts made with a soft layer of ducted goosedown. Perfectly in line with the idea of ‘warm living,’ the Phoenix armchair from Gianfranco Ferré Home is an item of great character, which with the sofa from the same series links back to the icons of the past, providing a reinterpretation of the classic roll-arm model. Featuring armrests and back slanted slightly outward in an oval form, the piece is covered in brown or black Prince of Wales fabric.
