In a sea of international design brands vying for attention during Milan Design Week, Brazilian designers and manufacturers staked their claim in the spotlight with a strong presence at the fairgrounds and throughout the city. The sixth largest furniture producer globally, Brazil showcased furnishings that match contemporary European design but with a distinct South American flair and a focus on organic colors, sustainable practices, and the use of natural raw materials—including native wood, fibers, ropes, leathers, fabrics, wools, and weaves. Here are five highlights from Brazil’s showing during the week.
Ornare Milan Showroom
With eight showrooms in the U.S. and 14 in Brazil, the high-end furnishings brand Ornare expanded into the European market with a new two-level, light-filled showroom in Milan’s 18th-century Palazzo Gallarati Scotti. Located on Via Manzoni, the showroom featured the work of Brazilian artists amongst the brand’s modern closets, kitchen and bathroom collections, accessories, and furnishings.
Naturalia Collection by Etel Carmona
Designed in collaboration with Milan-based designer and architect Patricia Urquiola, the Naturalia Collection includes a coffee table, sofa, bench, and armchair. The seating has a wooden frame upholstered with fabric that resembles a “furniture garment” in two styles: an untreated cotton fabric for summer and a wool version made exclusively from textile industry surpluses. The side and center tables use a vegetable resin bound with macela grass and wood sawdust dyed with natural pigments from Brazilian soil, along with a plant-based bioplastic from the sugar cane industry. They’re available in the U.S. at Etel Carmona’s Houston gallery.
Read more on aninteriormag.com.
