Iconic and modern benches
Adding comfort and relaxation to any environment, from the entrance hall to the bedroom, to the waiting room or lounge area, the essence of benches and daybeds is versatility: they are transversal elements able to decorate any room with discretion and elegance. Structure, shapes and upholstery in leather or velvet, then, they put their own way, winking now to a more classic style now to a more modern imprint.
From icons that date back to the early twentieth century and which remain etched in the memory of design, to the latest innovations that furnish contemporary spaces: they are all unique and original pieces created by the best internationally renowned designers, on which we would love to sit, rest and wait.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe for Knoll, 1930. The iconic collection also transfers its simple elegance to the sofa version. The Barcelona Couch stages Mies's attempt to elevate industrial-era materials to "levels of grace never achieved before", helping to define the modern style of architecture and furnishings.
The scenography is from the twentieth century, the intent is to dress the ateliers of contemporary artists. Studiopepe designs an object for Tacchini with a strong personality, but at the same time profoundly versatile. With roll cushions that run along its entire length, Five to Nine is a daybed, a relaxing or a waiting seat. With the addition of a soft mattress covered in linen, it also becomes a guest bed. It gives a nod to the Bauhaus style thanks to the leather upholstery, while the mohair velvet makes it suitable for the most refined and elegant environments.
Since its first launch in 1969, DS-80 has become a timeless classic of De Sede and the world of daybeds and lounge sofas. The "patchwork" effect is obtained by processing a single flap of leather, demonstrating excellent craftsmanship and the impeccable art of leather goods. The structure is made of filigree wood slats.
Studiopepe again, this time for Gallotti&Radice. The Stami Day Bed stands out for the very particular curves of its black-stained ash base, with an open-pore finish and brass details. The elegance it emanates is further enhanced by the cushion's fabric or leather upholstery. Like all the creations of the Milanese design studio, it conveys a unique and unexpected atmosphere.
To complete the Nara collection by Poliform, Jean-Marie Massaud adds a console and bench. It is a natural evolution which at the same time preserves some fundamental characteristics. These include the solid wood of the base, for example, which enhances the materiality of the furniture piece and therefore the excellence of the cabinet-making art that has shaped it.
Formal purity and precious materials. Roberto Lazzeroni creates a piece of furniture for Poltrona Frau in which “the warm intensity of leather is combined with the richness of solid wood”. The Fidelio bench promises comfort and relaxation thanks to its concave shape, and a relaxing feeling due to its composed design, essential lines and sophisticated details.
Magi is a tribute to Magister, the sofa that made Flexform history. In fact, the daybed by Antonio Citterio follows the iconic capitonné workmanship, with a particular innovation, here the quilting button is replaced by a more complex and modern solution, the two-hole buttonhole. The refinement that has distinguished the collection since 1982 remains perfectly unchanged.
The inspiration comes from the world of saddlery, especially if the seat is covered in leather. In addition, the Caratos bench by Maxalto shares the particularity of its base with the other elements of the series, a structure in die-cast aluminum bearing the signature of Antonio Citterio. The effect is the creation of a simultaneously sophisticated, classic and contemporary style.
Dip & Double Dip are more than two simple benches: they are stainless steel monoliths highly original in shape and effect. Chris Howker designed them for B&B Italia which, through a milling, bending and welding technique, sees them start from a sheet of steel just over a millimeter thick. In this way, extreme lightness is combined with a feeling of maximum solidity.
The watchword of Mario Bellini's Gli Scacchi series for B&B Italia can only be "game". Not surprisingly, its elements mimic some of the main pieces of the most classic of table games, the Queen, the Horse and the Tower. To be positioned freely in any point or room of the house, they represent "an idea of living free from constraints". The very first edition, dating back to 1971, paved the way for the use of self-skinning polyurethane coating, which until then was relegated to the automobile industry. In the 2020 revival, the upholstery is soft, in leather or Kanu leather with visible stitching.
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