It is an ancient knowledge that guides Paolo Castelli. Today it is known as a contemporary design company and general contractor in major international projects, but its roots go back a good two centuries branching out over time with an articulated evolution. In fact, this reality began as a craft workshop founded in 1887 in the heart of Bologna, later becoming the better-known Domodinamica, a company specializing in office furniture that attracted names such as Michele De Lucchi, Karim Rashid, Pier Luigi Cerri, Alessandro Mendini, Luca Scacchetti, and Massimo Iosa Ghini, among many others.
From there came the creation of the Paolo Castelli brand, which – strengthened by a handcrafted DNA and a propensity for experimentalism – looks to the “total look” as a design philosophy, ranging from furniture to lighting in the sign of “made-to-measure.” The brand’s multifaceted soul is reflected in its collections, which also in terms of stylistic inspiration are of the most varied: artistic suggestions blend with reinterpretations in a modern key of the great styles that have characterized the eras of design.
Divano Ama, Alla Sera collection by Paolo Castelli
Enso, Alla Sera collection by Paolo Castelli
Ama, Alla Sera collection by Paolo Castelli
Kenya, Alla Sera collection by Paolo Castelli
“Alla sera” collection 2023, is a representation of this idea. A wide and rich line in terms of proposals (intended for living, sleeping and outdoor areas), but also in terms of materials, finishes, and the emotions it evokes. “Alla sera was born from the desire to harmonize distinct sensations, creating a romantic landscape, evoking the atmosphere created by a sunset,” they let the company know. And so, lights and shadows meet in a symphony of chiaroscuro enhancing distinct colors and textures.
Kenya, Alla Sera collection by Paolo Castelli
Asymmetrical geometries accompany, for example, the Ama sofa, which has expanded to accommodate other upholstered seats such as the Bergere, the Grand Pouf, the Ottoman, and the modular version also with curved modules. On the other hand, the combination of simple geometric shapes combined with contrasting color choices and textures define the Enso seats; so does the Kenya collection of tables and consoles: wood grain meets quartzite with surprising visual effects, but it is above all the base, asymmetrical and marked by curvilinear cuts, that captures the attention.
Not even lighting remains unrelated to this game of associations: a reinterpretation of classic lanterns, Fanus lamps are distinguished by a central illuminating body made of transparent canned glass and a fabric or Murano glass shade.
Photo © Miro Zagnoli
Fanus, Alla Sera collection by Paolo Castelli
