Crossing boundaries: The rise and rise of cross-over furniture
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It’s been touted as a trend, but we predict it will only continue to increase in popularity, that is – furniture designed for use across multiple typologies. Here’s a round-up of standouts from the Salone.
An occasional chair that sits just as comfortably in an office lobby as it does in a residential interior. Tables, in all shapes and sizes, that fit both in a home or a hotel, or even a conference room. Couches in an office breakout zone that can also break up an open plan living area.
Furniture is no longer designated as strictly commercial or strictly residential, which dovetails with the increase in blurred typologies. The discussion of offices becoming more akin to homes is not a new one. But as typologies continue to blur, it’s a logical step that more furniture would be designed with this intention.
Nowhere is this more apparent than at a trade fair with thousands of furniture brands from all over the world presenting new products. The ‘trend’ presents itself as something that will only continue into the future.
SP01
The Australian born brand SP01 has been building out its collection of products and interchangeable pieces in its range. And Milan saw the addition of a few more things, including extensions through the way of new finishes, colours and materials.
New colours and materials showcased the versatility of SP01 furniture.
One defining feature of the entire SP01 range is its versatility of use in varying typologies. This was a deliberate approach by the new-comer. The Thomas Chair has been adapted into a Thomas Stool, another great new piece being the Holland desk – for use in a corporate office, or home office with added refinement.
Thomas Bar Stool is a stool version of the popular Thomas Chair.
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La Chance
For the quirky French brand La Chance, its Sunday Collection was extended at Milan this year. A new bed was out on display, designed by La Chance‘s in-house team. And although it would be right at home in a residential setting, of course, the unexpected combination of marble legs, timber base and fabric bed head means it would make a huge statement in a hotel too.
The Sunday table by La Chance provided the inspiration for a new bed released in the same collection.
The newly released Sunday bed. Photo by Kojima Yokuse.
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Sancal
Wild and adventurous, the Spanish brand Sancal presented a Jungle in Milan along with a wide range of new pieces. Varying from tables, occasional chairs and even lifestyle products, many of the new items defy boundaries for where they could be specified. A standout piece being the DB Chair by Santiago Castano. The chair is thick and bold, with geometric shapes as a point of difference – both in the legs and the upholstered form.
Sancal’s stand was inspired by a jungle.
The DB Chair designed by Santiago Castano for Sancal.
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Billiani
The historic brand Billiani knows a thing or two about chairs, especially timber chairs, which is a true classic for dining at home or in a restaurant. Understanding the value of the real craftsmanship needed for timber chairs, Billiani showcased them in all their glory – upon podiums.
Billiani’s stand was all about the versatility of a timber chair – and even positioned all the product on podiums.
Taking away the usual colour, each item was shown in black. It also showed the possibility of having mix and match chairs, but in a single, unifying colour.
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Sitia
Sitia is an Italian commercial furniture brand. For this year’s Salone, however, the company openly called for more homely spaces with its themed stand installation titled ‘The Human Rooms’. A variety of settings were shown, switching between different design disciplines.
Sitia’s The Human Rooms, featuring the petite Laguna.
Two products that stood out, including the modular Laguna Sofa, which can be configured in a multitude of ways and with a very delicate leg, would suit even a small office space. The other piece was the Chloé light, which has a copper lamp head and marble base that can be used to hold a plant or pencils. The perfect office or home office companion.
New pieces from Sitia at Salone. The Chloé lamp is pictured back right.
Pedrali
The quintessential Italian brand Pedrali is known for flexible furniture so it’s no surprise that some of the new pieces launched at Salone follow the same modus operandi. An exciting new release is the Giravolta portable lamp. Delicate and compact, the new light can be used both indoors and outdoors and comes in an array of confectionary colours.
Giravolta by Pedrali is a new portable, LED lamp.
There’s no denying that cross-over furniture will only continue to grow in popularity as we seek out offices, hotels and restaurants that are comfortable and familiar.
Take a look at our chair edit from Milan – what would the Salone be without countless new chairs?
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