Italy as we know it — capital of art and fashion, kingdom of luxury, food that lingers on the tongue: pasta, pizza, coffee, wine; the Colosseum that set the standard for world architecture; the irresistible canals of Venice…
Behind Italy the fashion capital lies a culture carried through decades of change. Art and creativity flow through the life of the nation; history mirrors the present, the classical blends with the modern — and out of that comes the Italian minimalist style that markets and consumers have come to love.
Creativity and design are written into Italy’s DNA. The country has always walked at the front of fashion, and interior design is no exception. As more people pursue a refined, pared-back way of living, mid-to-high-end minimalist light-luxury brands have become the choice of senior professionals and the new urban elite — minimalist light luxury has become a marker of where the market is heading.
Life is full of trivialities, yet we still choose to embrace it with optimism. That is why so many people fall, almost without noticing, for Italian minimalist furniture: it is fashionable and at the same time simple, returning lifestyle to something pure. Since modern minimalism took hold, most young people favour a modern minimalist interior — and furniture is no exception.
The design of Italian minimalist furniture answers the needs of its time. Rapid social development has raised living standards enormously, but it has also added pressure; the arrival of the material age has multiplied the strain of daily life. Whatever difficulties we meet outside, we grit our teeth and carry on — and when we come home to that tired harbour, all we ask for is a relaxed, comfortable space.
Italian minimalist design shares one design language, yet every piece is made of different materials, and different materials give a different feel. Many Italian pieces use North American black walnut as the main material. It is rich in grain; run your hand over it and you can feel the texture — natural, simple, pure in both substance and colour. Design a chair, for example: every edge is sanded again and again until it is smooth and rounded. The legs follow the logic of a string instrument, hand-polished, time- and labour-intensive; the slender, upright form conveys elegance and softness. Combined with ergonomic design, it supports the lower back more comfortably, so long sitting does not tire you. It pursues the natural texture the material already has — and at the same time advocates an awareness of “less, not more”.