Upholstery

Back in time now

Roger

The 1950s have inspired Minotti’s latest designs

Roger, designed by Rodolfo Dordoni, is comprised of three elements: Roger Suite, with cushioned seat and a depth of 101cm; Roger Spring, a monobloc seat of the same depth, fully quilted on the surface, with a pocket-sprung insert to ensure it retains its shape; and Roger Spring Sofa, the armless version with a depth of 94cm. The elements can be freely customised with high and low backrests, different types of armrests and the option of additional elements functioning as tops and containers, jutting out at the back, or at the end, next to the seat.

Roger features a customised base in profiled aluminium with a black coffeecoloured varnished finish, which supports the padded elements and the cabinet volumes in dark brown stained palisander Santos, in striped open-pore black lacquered ash veneer or with a lacquered finish in Ice, Cappuccino or Moka, as well as a front or side open storage compartment lined with brandycoloured satin-finish aluminium.

Two cross blades in black coffeecoloured varnished aluminium make the join almost invisible and elevate it 13cm above the floor, giving the seats an airy aesthetic.

Brasilia, designed by Marcio Kogan/ studio mk27, has an ultra-precise, contemporary minimal style, rooted in Brazilian modernism. The range hosts a range of seats envisaged for different environments, from the living to the night area, including sofas, elements with one armrest, an armchair and ottoman, and a varied selection for the bedroom. It is characterised by a Mid-Century aesthetic revisited and modernised not only in its lines and volumes but also in its use of materials, in particular dark brown stained palisander Santos, and in its elegant structural details.

The seats, conceived for the home environment, can also play an original role in hospitality settings, given the

Brasilia

wide variety of elements, coverings and configurations to choose from.

The strong architectural feel conveyed by the volumes and proportions of Brasilia points to the world of Marcio Kogan, his interiors and architectures, paying tribute to the period of great cultural ferment that swept through Brazil in the 1950s, in which Oscar Niemeyer and Lùcio Costa were prominent figures. The seating elements are enclosed in a square frame in dark brown stained palisander Santos, sourced from responsibly managed forests, accommodating a system of even, comfortable padding that offers a comfy, cushioned seat.

With their airy look, they rest on metal feet with a polished Brandy finish, a prime example of the interaction of materials exploited by Kogan – wood, metal, fabric and leather – to evoke warmth and comfort.

The Brasilia range comprises two sizes of sofa (196cm and 273cm in length), elements with one armrest in various lengths with and without a top – made of slender staves in dark brown stained Canaletto walnut or one piece in dark brown stained palisander Santos – and an armchair and small ottoman.

The distinctive characteristic behind the Belt collection, designed in leather or all-fabric versions, is the idea of a belt that draws the profile of the body, encircling it then breaking off and fastening to the front. In the leather version, the strip is sewn onto a piece of bonded leather to lend support and ensure a consistent thickness: it is applied to the covering as a belt is applied to a dress and sophisticated crafting is required to follow the curved shape of the seat and keep the visible seams straight and even.

With its classic shape, the foam body designs a shell-like, enveloping backrest that welcomes and protects. The seat rests on a die-cast aluminium base with a polished brandy-coloured, antitouch varnished finish, which in its leather version recalls the metal finishes of exquisite leather bags. The range consists of a sofa, an armchair, a bergère with footstool, a smaller lounge armchair and a small dining armchair.

Lido is a comfortable basket-like nest, with a round seat, designed by Italian-Danish duo GamFratesi. The design is inspired by the 1950s, expressed in a continuous, enveloping curved line that defines the padded body. The line recalls the typical stylistic marks of Brutalist architecture, with cushions adding a comfortable feel.

The X-shaped sculptural base is the collection’s strong distinguishing mark. The armchair is available in one size and with two types of bases. One is the X-shaped aluminium version covered in brushed ash with a Moka open-pore lacquered finish. The other features legs in solid wood, in a choice of Moka lacquered open-pore brushed ash or matt polyester lacquered dark brown stained Canaletto walnut. A matching footstool completes the picture.

The tops of the legs feature an interesting decorative insert in bronze varnished steel, elegantly distinguishing the point where the legs join the frame.

The range also includes little dining and lounge armchairs – the latter only with legs in solid wood – and coffee tables in one size that sit on the iconic X-shaped aluminium base. The base is covered in ash with a Moka varnished finish, and the round or square table top is in Bianconero marble or brushed ash wood with a Moka open-pore lacquered finish. Visit: www.minotti.it

Lido armchair

Pioneering

Fibreline is celebrating 40 years of innovation

Fibreline has a 90,000sqft factory in Keighley

Fibreline was founded by John Prudhoe in 1982 and has grown to be the largest independently owned upholstery cushion fillings manufacturer in the UK. The company is known for its products across a broad range of cushion seat fillings, often combining different fillings to achieve specific results.

Prudhoe had a long history in the upholstery market and could see the potential for carded synthetic fibres in upholstery. Fibreline became a pioneer in the use of polyester fibre in the UK furniture industry.

Initially based on Marley Street in Keighley, West Yorkshire the company soon outgrew this location and in 1992 moved to the town’s former Waddingtons playing card factory.

Over the following decade Fibreline diversified into feather and foam cushion fillings, so offering a one-stop-shop for all cushion fillings.

Innovations came thick and fast and in 2003, Fibreline became one of the first foam converters to install a fully integrated foam cutting line.

One of the main problems with 100% fibre seat cushions is that they go flat over time and require strenuous plumping. Fibreline sought a remedy for this problem with Encore. In 2010, it started to develop the Encore range, starting with Encore Fibre, which had the look and feel of a fibre cushion but with recovery characteristics more like foam.

Encore Fibre was soon awarded the FIRA Gold seal of approval and went on to become a great success story.

Encouraged by the success of Encore Fibre, Fibreline proceeded to develop Encore Feather and Encore Foam. Encore Feather has the look and feel of a feather cushion but with much improved recovery. Encore Foam provides the clean lines of a foam seat cushion but the snugly feel of a fibre seat.

While all this innovative development was going on Fibreline also introduced a number of industry production process firsts – for example, in 2015 it pioneered the robotic drilling of foam components, followed in 2019 by the installation of a robotic fabrication line.

These improvements and innovations helped the company to be competitive in both pricing and delivery.

The latest product from Fibreline is Fibrefill Blue. Fibreline recognised the need to offer cushion manufacturers an environmentally friendly solution using recycled plastic, so it found a way to convert plastic bottles into a comfy cushion. Each cushion re-uses as many as 100 plastic bottles. Visit: www.fibreline-ltd.co.uk

Positive energy

Chiara Andreatti’s latest design can be used indoors and out

Guna is a Sanskrit term meaning ‘energy that envelops all things’, used to denote the single threads that form a woven rope. The name encapsulates the deep meaning behind Chiara Andreatti’s design for Gervasoni: interweaving yarns, knits and textures, as well as inspirations, relationships and cultures are the basis of the designer’s project.

A very fine polypropylene yarn in two contrasting colours is woven by a latest-generation knitting loom into an innovative rug, which is available in two versions, one with a striped texture and the other a more decorative, double-faced version.

Available in three colours, blue, red and natural, in a choice of 230cm x 300cm and 80cm x 240cm sizes, the Guna rug can also be used outdoors. Visit: www.gervasoni1882.com