THE WORLD AT HOME
Flexform’s new indoor collections take the comforts of home to stylish new heights
What does Made in Italy really mean? As a designation, it makes for a compelling selling point, one that lends new Italian-crafted products the cachet of the country’s rich design tradition. But for Flexform, these words represent not only a statement of fact but an ethos. The leading brand, with over a century of history, has harnessed its Italian design heritage to create a timeless yet contemporary collection of residential furniture that feels tailor-made for a moment in history mostly experienced from home.
While post-pandemic reality has given our homes a more pivotal role in dayto-day life, this considered design approach intuitively responds to longer-term changes in lifestyle. In bold new pieces by the likes of Carlo Colombo, Antonio Citterio and Flexform’s in-house Design Center, the elegant and deftly tapered contours that define Italian design are combined with an unpretentious sensibility that invites kicking back — and settling in.
Case in point: Antonio Citterio’s Romeo sofa. Even viewed from afar, it exudes comfort. The cloudlike sectional’s goose-down cushions and gently inclined seats give it an exceptionally inviting presence, its pillowy softness enhanced by graceful proportions and a slender, minimalist frame. Tapered cast aluminum feet, meanwhile, lend Romeo an undeniable airiness, while tailored grosgrain piping outlines the stitching to delicately complement the sofa’s form. In short, it looks every bit as good as it feels.
A pair of new designs by Carlo Colombo equally epitomizes Flexform’s refined fusion of high design and everyday functionality. Take the Sveva Soft armchair. Characterized by a sinuous upholstered shell, Sveva’s sculptural form is paired
with an exceptionally soft down-filled seat, along with a special polymer that ensures both structural support and comfort. Set on an eye-catching cast aluminum swivel base (offered with four or five spokes in multiple metallic finishes), Sveva is available in a range of removable upholstery covers, as well as a wingback bergère version.
The Sveva sofa dials it up a notch. Like its counterpart, Colombo’s design is elevated by a sophisticated silhouette, though its two-seat frame affords it a declarative centrepiece status. Finished in cowhide, a rigid polyurethane shell is complemented with soft leather-covered cushions, with a variety of other upholstery options — including fabrics — on offer.
A product of Flexform’s own Design Center, the Ortigia family of armchairs is a hybrid of artisanal craft and contemporary flair. Made entirely of solid ash or Canaletto walnut, the pared-down frame — which nods to the Italian cabinetmaking tradition — is married with a handwoven cowhide backrest, as well as a seat that can be upholstered in leather or fabric. Available with or without armrests and with an optional footstool, Ortigia is an understated statement piece.
And it’s not just seating. Flexform’s commitment to craft and comfortable, unpretentious luxury is evident across its indoor furnishings collections. The Jeremy cabinets, another Colombo design, showcase clean lines and svelte proportions, their smoked glass compartments and solid oak finishes providing an eye-catching contrast. They’re quiet pieces with a hint of the spectacular. In other words, it’s signature Italian design — and signature Flexform. flexform.it