luca nichetto’s furniture collection for de la espada draws on classic 1950s american design
all images courtesy of de la espada
luca nichetto expands his collaboration with de la espada by debuting five furniture designs for the company at festival of design in shanghai from march 6th to 19th, 2016. drawing on american furniture design of the 1950s, the italian-born creative has conceived a family of works that while expressing classic forms and materials, offer a contemporary flair and relevance.
‘stella’ armchair
the ‘stella’ armchair extends from luca nichetto’s desire to combine fibreglass — a popular material in the 1950s — with contemporary materials. the seating piece boasts elegantly curved armrests, with wooden legs supporting a visible fibreglass shell that encloses an upholstered seat and backrest. ‘stella’ has been designed for extreme versatility, and is suited to residential, social and workplace settings. 
‘stella’ features a fibreglass shell that is supported by wooden legs
‘marlon’ table
drawing on the craft and form of american mid-century furniture and architecture, the ‘marlon’ table is an intriguing play of contrasts. characterized by marble legs supporting a solid hardwood or marble table top, it is composed of sections that make it easy to transport; while still offering a robust structure that is distinct and visually striking in appearance.
‘marlon’ is characterized by marble legs supporting a wood or marble table top
the ‘marlon’ table tops come in segments, making it easy to transport
round version of the ‘marlon’ table 
‘kim’ nesting tables
‘kim’ is a family of nesting tables. while each design has its own distinct form, they collectively share common materials. available as a set or standalone pieces, the three pieces are simple in their shape, but exude a strong sense of character as a result of their rich wooden surfaces that straddle the boundaries between the natural and the manmade.
profile of the ‘kim’ nesting tables
each table has its own distinct form, but are united by material
‘nino’ ottoman
the ‘elysia’ lounge chair was the first product that luca nichetto conceived for de la espada. to accompany the design, nichetto has conceived ‘nino’ — an ottoman that shares similar stylistic principles, while also complimenting previous items of the nichetto collection for de la espada. the solid wood skeleton of ‘nino’ is exposed rather than concealed, showcasing its fine material an craftsmanship; while the fusion of lumber and upholstered materials is noticeably influenced by mid-century design.
the ‘elysia’ lounge chair with ‘nino’ ottoman
‘steve’ pouf
gemstones set into jewelry were the starting point for luca when designing the ‘steve’ poufs. the designs are composed of short cast iron legs that support visible wooden structures, crowned with upholstery. available in three sizes, they combine nichetto’s desire for heritage styling with contemporary design.
the ‘steve’ poufs reference gemstones set in jewelry
the poufs are defined by short cast iron legs, with a visible wooden structure, crowned by upholstery
