Smania – a celebration of both modern and classic styles – is back at the second edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano Shanghai. One of a select few Italian companies taking part, the brand heads to China with the aiming of showcasing the allure, history and value of its intrinsic artisanal culture.
The Smania exhibition space at the I Saloni Shanghai 2017 is split into four rooms, each with its own unique total look brimming with exclusivity and sophistication. At the centre of the display are three new products making their global debuts at the event, where the brand aims to showcase how its furniture channels design and luxury into warm, inviting spaces, striking the perfect balance between elegance and sartorial traditions.
The star of the dining room is the rectangular Lock table with its brand-new Silver Wave marble table top. For the very first time, Smania is experimenting with the use of this stunning material for large surfaces, thus further increasing the scope for customisation with its pieces. The gorgeous veining of the marble, ranging from black to silver, reveals a multitude of subtle nuances that help to underline the beauty of the surrounding room. Meanwhile, the matte quality of the brushed, burnished steel detailing and the warmth of the Florida Beige leather that covers the base create a much-needed sense of contrast. The same finishes are also used for the Lock console table, in matte tobacco-coloured rosewood.
Completing the dining room collection are the Amal chairs in fabric with Jersey quilting, a pattern featuring fluid, oriental-style lines which is also found on the leather drawer fronts of the Jersey sideboard.
Finally, the Harrys bar is a celebration of master craftsmanship. Here, the materials are allowed to express themselves in all their natural beauty, with the expert framing elevating the wood to new levels of sophistication.
A second dining area is home to Dean, a round table perfect for socialising in an elegant and unique setting. Dean, which was unveiled last April in Milan, combines three wonderful materials to stunning effect: wood, whose timeless beauty lends class, leather – the tactile allure of which brings a sense of delicateness to the table – and metal, which illuminates the room with its reflections. Meanwhile, design and elegance meet functionality for the Lazy Susan positioned in the centre of the table, making it possible to share dishes, oriental-style.
Completing the effect are the simple, delicate lines of the Aura chairs, mellow and poetic, which ensure maximum comfort thanks to the soft padding used.
The big new arrival in the Smania living room collection is the Cloe sofa. Horizontal lines are used harmoniously for the backrest, which is split up into simple, geometric blocks. The unique shape of the armrest, which gets wider at the base, brings an unusual dynamism to the leather-clad structure. A bold personality, clean lines, a compact size and generous seat pads make this new model the centre of attention of Smania’s living room at Salone del Mobile Shanghai 2017. The Coral armchair, meanwhile, with its inviting, wrap-around design and curvy lines, is quite simply the embodiment of relaxation.
The Iride collection of side tables is all about the variety of finishes available. The tops are produced in either marble or wood, while the upholstery comes in leather or fabric.
The Smania bedroom draws on a number of fascinating style influences. The new Paris bed is the first model in the brand’s entire catalogue to feature capitonné, one of the most sought-after decorative effects in the furniture industry. The timeless charm of the classic headboard, with its pattern of diamonds defined with buttons at each point, contrasts with fluid, modern lines which bring a lighter feel to the austere, British-style sophistication of the piece. Produced in cream-coloured nabuck leather, the bed is testament to the manual skill and artisanal experience required to maintain the soul of a leather-making technique that has sustained exclusively by hand ever since 1800.
The Domino side tables celebrate the material beauty of nubuck and walnut crotch. It is the most prized and delicate part of the wood and requires a deep knowledge of the material and its manufacturing techniques. Smania’s artisans allow their creativity to lead the way as they combine the veining and patterning in the most harmonious, symmetrical way possible. Another fantastic example of this is the Loren make-up table, designed to combine style with practicality in a truly eclectic piece.
After its debut last year, the Salone del Mobile Milano Shanghai is now established as a key platform for interacting with buyers from China’s main regions and those central regions currently experiencing strong growth. Smania has invested a great deal of thinking and resources into developing its strategy for the Chinese market, resulting in an exponential increase in revenue in the area, which is registering the brand’s highest growth rate in the past three years.
DOWNLOAD THE INVITE HERE: smania-invito-salonedelmobile-shanghai
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