Home Sweet Rome: 10 New Looks from Molteni&C’s 2023 Collection
Once again defining the future by looking to the past, Molteni&C’s 2023 collection was inspired by the concept of the ancient Roman domus, the central, uncovered courtyard from which the house receives light and water. Creating a home of “noble simplicity and quiet grandeur,” these new pieces perfectly balance the aesthetics of indoor and outdoor living, blending the idea of private and public spaces. Crafted of the finest luxury materials with today’s innovative technology, each piece echoes the timeless elegance of classical Italian style updated with contemporary, modern flair.
Old Ford Dining Table by Rodolfo Dordoni
Old Ford’s round-edge top features a gentle downward curve to meet four glossy lacquered legs connected by an H-shaped beam. The top is available in limba or coffee oak wood, or in emperador, calacatta, or sahara noir marble with a matte or glossy polyester finish. The tabletop base resembles a shell composed of soft lines in an anthracite tone for an elegant and modern look. The legs can be customized in one of three glossy lacquered finishes: burgundy, pine green, or black nickel. The table's supportive frame is made using hydroforming, a sophisticated process that applies water pressure to shape the material, allowing the table to be lightweight yet strong and structurally rigid. Available in two sizes, the table provides ample space for seating and dining, and can even serve as a sculptural centerpiece in a foyer. The oval shape allows the table to fit into various room layouts, making it a versatile option for any setting.
Mateo Dining Table by Vincent Van Duysen
An elegant and minimal reimagining of the dining room table, Mateo was inspired by the hospitality area designed for the new Pavilion inside the Molteni&C headquarters. The table is perched upon a curved base that flares out very slightly as it goes down, providing stability and solidity while adding a touch of the unexpected. The conical base is available in two versions — one round and one ovular — to seamlessly integrate into existing spaces. Available in an array of sizes, heights, and configurations to suit varying compositions of families and groups, the table is designed to be a centerpiece for all occasions. Unique finishes from sports wood to shiny lacquer, and colors like rich pine green and soothing almond white, offer customizable options to suit a range of spaces. A new oak wood option provides a warm character embodying natural charm.
Porta Volta Dining Chair by Herzog & de Meuron
Jacques Herzog’s design is “comfortable, welcoming, and commodious. Like a room to sit down in, rather than just sitting down on something.” The chair’s defining element is the U-shaped, solid wood back, which creates an inviting and enveloping feel. The floating backrest, which can be bisected by a customizable cushion, extends further to create armrests. Three U-frames with a unique curved “finger joint” lend the piece a detailed softness, with the four legs and back, angled slightly outwards, providing stability and comfort. Porta Volta can be customized to suit a range of interior design preferences and needs, with solid wood choices of American walnut, black oak, sunrise oak, graphite oak, or eucalyptus. The upholstered seat is carefully considered to provide exceptional comfort in a wide array of fabrics including leather and a special selection of mohair velvet. The cushion comes in one of four custom colors: sunflower yellow, royal blue, daisy pink, or silver gray.
Tuscany Chaise Lounge by Naoto Fukasawa
With this undulating chaise lounge, Fukasawa blends the best of Italian and Japanese design. Tuscany embodies the idea of comfort with a structure expertly molded to the contours of the body, with a silhouette providing a sense of lightness and fluidity rooted in an innovative design that is both visually harmonious and deeply relaxing. The form is the result of meticulous technical development to define the ideal proportions for the chaise's unique shape. The smooth, rounded legs are made from solid wood and are connected by a satin brass H-frame, providing a sturdy and stylish base. Connected to one another by carefully hidden zippers, the cushions form an articulated whole that neatly hugs the structure and are available in a variety of fabrics and leathers from Molteni&C’s textile collection. The rounded headrest moves independently from the square cushions and is balanced by a metal dowel held by adjustable straps to hold it in place, allowing for customized comfort. Tuscany is available in two versions: a eucalyptus finish with matte painted satin brass or natural Sunrise Oak, for a contemporary balance of bright wood and stainless steel.
Cinnamon Lounge Chair by Naoto Fukasawa
Seamlessly blending form, function, and comfort, Cinnamon’s enveloping shape exudes an air of warmth and tranquility. The bulbous seat features a removable cushion, designed to maximize comfort. Cinnamon’s versatile design makes it a perfect fit for the living room, bedroom, study, or any other space where comfort and style are flawlessly integrated. Its enveloping and sinuous shape offers an exceptionally inviting feel and a distinctly playful personality. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, Cinnamon is upholstered in elastic jersey fabric that molds beautifully to the rounded structure. A range of 21 fabric options provides a variety of interpretations, each adding a unique touch of elegance to your home.
Augusto Sofa by Vincent Van Duysen
In conceiving the Augusto sofa, Van Duysen carefully examined the way a body would sink into its voluminous seat, recline into its cushioned backrest, or simply lean on its elegant, square-shaped armrests. With those factors in mind, he began forming the shape to incorporate a flush metal base that runs around the perimeter of the sofa, giving it a weightless appearance. A novelty compared to past Molteni&C collections, Augusto is a non-modular sofa, available in four configurations and two depths, with a deeper element that creates a chaise longue style seat. The frame is composed of solid wood while the padding is made of high-bearing, variable-density polyurethane foam, ensuring maximum comfort. The seat cushions, made of recycled and recyclable PET polyester fiber, offer exceptional comfort, while the piping detail, available as tone-on-tone or with a contrast effect, adds an interesting graphic element. Augusto is available in all of the Molteni&C textile and leather colors, and can be embellished with four different options of piping - anthracite, dark brown, olive green, and paper white.
Aster Coffee Table by Vincent Van Duysen
A unique object made entirely by hand, Aster is a contemporary work of art that blends aesthetics and functionality. Each table has a slightly different connotation, testifying to its handcrafted nature. The base features a brass casting that gives it the sophisticated hammered effect, with the ring mounted to the legs by welding. A unique finishing technique uses stones to gently smooth the structure, lending a wavy effect. The top consists of an annealed glass, distinguished at the bottom by a slight ripple that gives it personality, which has been fused at a temperature of 180 degrees, creating its distinctive finish. Aster is available in two sizes, with finishes available in polished brass or black patinated brass, while the top can be customized in smocked glass or green.
Ovidio Bed by Vincent Van Duysen
Designed to be the centerpiece of the bedroom, Ovidio blends sober elegance and utmost comfort, where no detail is left to chance. The leading role is played by the headboard, available both in leather and fabric. A discreet smoked metal frame with rounded corners carefully defines the structure. The front part, where the profile is straight, is covered in leather, available in the same color as the upholstery (tone-on-tone) or in contrasting shades, allowing for the choice of a bolder or more subdued aesthetic. The facade is further enriched by "diamond" stitching that runs vertically throughout the element. Available in three sizes, Ovidio is a contemporary classic that combines modern design and exceptional attention to detail, including the hand-stitched vertical seams in contrasting thread.
Paula Lounge Chair by Vincent Van Duysen
Both contemporary and elegant, Paula is a visually striking, beautifully crafted piece of furniture that combines modern design perspectives with luxurious comfort. With a cantilevered frame and suspended cushions, the armchair is designed to create a synthesis between the soft and inviting seat and the solid and robust frame. Paula’s shape is defined by an innovative system of looping leather straps that attach the seat and backrest to the metal frame. Available in natural, tobacco, hazelnut, or mud green, the leather seat and backrest provide a warm contrast to the matte, burnished, or sand metal structure. The matching ottoman was conceived as a visual continuation of the armchair. Its base is formed of the same pedestal feet in burnished or sand metal and its cushion is attached with the same system of looping leather straps.
Regent Coffee Table by Vincent Van Duysen
The Regent coffee tables are the indoor interpretation of a design originally created for Molteni&C Outdoor. Aesthetically, these forms can live comfortably in any context and can create a natural continuity between the indoors and outdoors. The Regent table’s rounded base and slender legs support the tabletop that can be customized in one of several finishes of lava stone for outdoors, including matte, anthracite, olive green, desert yellow. For the indoor version, a glossy polyester finish lava stone is available, in addition to black marquina and calacatta marble with either a matte or glossy polyester finish. The tables come in several different sizes and shapes, from the low, oval-shaped coffee table versions to the taller, round editions that make the perfect side table next to a sofa.
