In Milan, it’s time for the Salone del Mobile, Fuorisalone and design. And never before has the outdoors reigned as it has this year. The Outdoor at Sea too.
Because there is always a before and after. In life. In our habits. In the way we conceive and live a space. We saw and experienced this at first hand during the pandemic. Although things are very different now to two years ago, the effects and memories of that time linger. T
he privations, closures and lockdowns have all left their mark with the result that we are more driven than ever to re-establish stronger, more solid contact with nature. It is as if we are coming up for air after a long time underwater and feeling a very physical urge to gulp life in deep, deep lungfuls.
Yachts have always been safe spaces and so have become the stars of this particular show. Unsurprisingly, they are drawing a public completely starved of the sea to them. The combination of these factors has given huge impetus to the transformation begun several years ago that has radically changed the way al fresco spaces aboard are designed.
Today those outdoor spaces are where designers and naval architects are focusing their creative energies and so we have published our Outdoor at Sea special every year since 2020 to highlight the best outdoor furniture and accessories on the scene. The great outdoors with all the joy of the sea! Here are some of them.
B&B Italia outdoor collection – Piero Lissoni and Vincent Van Duysen design
For 2022, B&B Italia Outdoor has expanded and consolidated it collection to include pieces clothed in clean, simple lines with a sublimely sophisticated colour palette. A new series of sun beds and seating designed by Piero Lissoni has been added to the elegantly sustainable Borea line. Vincent Van Duysen, on the other hand, has created an outdoor version of the exceptionally comfortable Pablo armchair which has evolved into a sofa with accordinating footrest and a series of architectural tables.
Paola Lenti Eres collection – Francesco Rota design
Innovation and sustainability, uniqueness and craftsmanship. Paola Lenti’s design philosophy has always focused on creating furniture that fist seamlessly into beautifully planned spaces, creating harmony between the individual elements, and a constant dialogue between interior and exterior. She loves to experiment with high tech materials but also likes to rediscover and highlight natural, 100% recyclable or recycled materials. A good example is the Eres collection with the Shibui and Hiro seating.
Kettal Tou – Naoto Fukasawa design
Tou is an homage to traditional rattan and reed wicker work, an essential part of the development of both western and eastern culture. Here the pieces use traditional handcrafting techniques as well as highly industrial processes. Instead of the most common kind of weave, there are striped vertical lines that are lighter and more expressive than mesh. The soft smooth outer follows the natural forms of the material but the internal structure of the stem consists of hundreds of cavities, making it both strong and light.
De Padova Etiquette Outdoor – GamFratesi design
Étiquette is a Scandinavian-inspired collection that dialogues with the finest Italian craftsmanship. It includes a sofa, hassock and armchairs. The outdoor version has a matte black painted stainless steel frame complimented by water-repellent textile straps and teak bar. The design is unusual yet simple and spare, making it perfect as a space divider, not least because it looks so good from the back. The mood is completed by functional aesthetic elements and clever combinations of tough yet luxe textiles in neutral hues.
Boffi AH01 – Alessandro Andreucci & Christian Hoisl design
A kitchen system made up of stainless steel blocks designed specifically for outdoor use. To cook, users will have an unusual but very attractive professional standard teppanyaki plate which is easy to clean. It means you will be able to whip up incredibly healthy, tasty meals easily and quickly. Aisi 304 stainless steel was used at the casting stage to guarantee superior durability, compactness and heat conduction. This also prevents fat molecules from penetrating the steel and interfering with flavours. Ingenious!
Minotti Lido Cord outdoor – GamFratesi design
Wrapround seating that exudes nest-like comfort. The sofa is wonderfully organic in shape and has a bronze-painted aluminium base with an anti-touch glossy finish. On one side it is a formal seat while the other is deeper with a bergère-style design and backrest that creates a soft, cosy niche. A selection of recyclable, certified polypropylene fabrics completes the design with various shades referencing the colour palette of the cords. The tables have the same design as the base of the sofa.
Ethimo Calipso – Ilaria Marelli design
Seductive furnishing solutions that bring a whole new sense of wellness to the concept of modularity. These are freestanding pieces that can be combined to change your spaces and blur indoor/outdoor boundaries. The elegantly simple Calipso collection is meticulously designed, going well beyond a new level of modularity to create a whole new dimension in terms of al fresco living as it can be used to create sophisticated bespoke ambiences.
Emu Tiki – Lucidi Pevere design
Tiki is a high tech, beautifully designed aluminium sun lounger. It has absolutely minimal mechanisms and an innovative locking system. The leading-edge Emu-Tex fabric used is thus showcased beautifully and can also be very easily replaced. The aluminium frame was designed to hide all structural elements too and lend a spare harmony to the design. It comes with a shade, wheels, arm rests and towel holder.
Flexform Lee – Antonio Citterio design
The structure of this settee is solid iroko. It is traditionally crafted from noble wood to produce an object that will stand the test of time. The backrest and seat are handwoven polypropylene rope in an elegant colour palette. To make this lovely piece of furniture even more comfortable, optional practical yet soft cushions with removable covers can also be ordered.
Cassina Outdoor collection – Rodolfo Dordoni design
The Dine Out family of tables now has a new single-material member. Rather than the previous conical base, it four solid teak legs. A clean, simple design that makes this table the perfect accessory for any style. A timeless product that once again confirms Cassina’s ability to furnish spaces to the nth degree.
Royal Botania Palma – Kris Van Puyvelde design
A pure, elegant design that hides a masterpiece of engineering. All you have to do to open this sun umbrella is grab one of the arms and start lifting it: the mechanism does the rest all on its own. If you pull one of the arms downwards, it will close in the exact same way. Even the base is pretty revolutionary: it revolves around the pole, so you can roll the umbrella around to follow the sun thanks to a tyre fitted to the rim.
Karman Abachina – Edmondo Testaguzza design
Two small spheres that look like they are free-floating but are actually securely anchored to their rectangular metal structure. The two white blown glass globes, one resting on a corner of the base and the other suspended half way up on one of the angles of the frame. Like an abacus! These are contemporary LED ground and wall lamps with a white or black-painted aluminium structure. We adore the very convenient rechargeable battery version.
Tribù Amanu – Yabu Pushelberg design
The Amanu collection exudes contemporary elegance, thanks to beautifully designed, hand-executed detailing. Simple teak frames mean the seats feel almost suspended, making this collection timeless as well as bang on trend. The chairs and armchairs all have canvas-based Canax® seats on a spare teak frame, creating the illusion that they are free-floating.
