Having less of a grand history is not always a bad thing, there’s more room for experimentation and less expectations—a fortunate position the Spanish are currently enjoying with a rise in international recognition for their work in contemporary furniture design. Spanish design stars like Patricia Urquiola and Jaime Hayon are blazing a trail for their compatriots with architectural projects across the globe, and furniture companies hailing from the Iberian peninsula are usurping the monopoly of familiar Italian names. Meet the brands exemplifying the country’s passionate design culture:
Plastic Fantastic: Vondom
Known for striking and surreal collections, Vondom made their mark on the outdoor furniture market by not being afraid to push the envelope. This Valencia based company had humble beginnings with a range of plant-holders in 2006, and their rapid growth since then can be attributed to collaborations with designers who share Vondom’s love for the fantastical such as Fabio Novembre, Ross Lovegrove, Javier Mariscal, and Karim Rashid among others. Vondom is also equipped with the technical know-how to bring complex designs to life, like rotation-moulding—a technique that allows for greater freedom when it comes to designing products like Karim Rashid’s Jut range, the first furniture collection made using rotation-moulding that creates straight lines.
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Vondom is available at QI International, www.quelfurniture.com.
Bright and Beautiful: Parachilna
Named quite randomly after a remote Australian town on the fringe of the outback, Parachilna is a new Barcelona based company dedicated to luxurious decorative lighting. Their first collection launched at this year’s Milan Fair, which featured the work of two Spaniards, Jordi Veciana and Jaime Hayon, and one American, Stephen Burks; three designers with vastly divergent styles. While each designer brings their own personal expression to the forms they have designed for the brand—Hayon with his sensual rounded shapes, Veciana’s minimalistic aesthetic and Burks explorations into woven wire—the common thread between them is a shared devotion for bringing contemporary design and traditional craftsmanship together in unorthodox forms.
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Parachilna is available at Linds Furniture, www.lindsfurniture.com.
Sofa so good: Sancal
Founded in the early 1970s, Sancal sofas have been something of a mainstay in Spanish design, known for their simple lines and meticulous attention to detail. Having recently celebrated their 40th anniversary by transforming their factory in Yecla with joyful large scale murals by artists like Ricardo Cavolo, Agostino Iacurci and Zosen, the furniture company also rejuvenated their catalogue, now featuring pieces celebrating their heritage with design verve and technical challenges. Sancal embraces quirkiness as readily as colour, resulting in a range of diverse shapes, volumes, and concepts that have the ability to transform the environment they are placed in. Collaborating with a mainly Spanish panel of designers, Sancal’s inhouse design and department team is equally as celebrated in this company.
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Sancal is available at Xtra Furniture, www.xtrafurniture.com.
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