Italian furnishing brand, Paolo Castelli, debuted the Greenkiss and Ipanema collections earlier this year. Sensitised towards its signature timeless elegance, Paolo Castelli lives up to its 140 years' worth of design legacy with an ever-developing dialogue between the needs of the market and the taste of the contemporary world. Since its conception in Bologna, Italy, the firm has championed the design industry with its lighting and furniture designs; with ideations referencing evolving trends, cultural influences and modern technologies. An international leader in the design sector, the family-run company manages major turn-key commercial and public projects.

Hubert de Malherbe, indisputable master of retail and hospitality design, Thierry Lemaire, globally famous architect and designer, and Paolo Castelli, creative director and CEO of the eponymous Bologna-based firm, have conceptualised the collection as a genuine exchange based on friendship, that enabled the development of innovative techniques that champion sustainability. Geometric style, graphic features, and other design elements add value to the quality of the materials, which are all either regenerated, recouped, or ethically manufactured under controlled environments. Greenkiss is a vocation of ethical design using sustainable materials corresponding with the thought of eco-responsibility and sustainable luxurious design at its heart. Imane is part of its constantly renewing assortment of lighting, seating solutions, and bespoke tables.

With Ipanema and Imane, the Italian firm promotes its latest design chapter focused on fresh compositional characteristics. Ipanema happens to be the first-ever dedicated outdoor collection by Paolo Castelli, which comprises upholstered seats and coffee tables as conceived in conjunction with the designers Thierry Lemaire and Hubert de Malherbe. Latest in its banner Greenkiss, Imane is created with natural materials and is handcrafted down to minute details. The Imane sofas and armchairs touch the firm’s green soul with a linear structure in Iroko wood further brushed and stained with natural oil. It holds the essence of refined luxury and an artful taste as observed in the Japanese furnishing styles. When one observes the Imane collection resting atop an open deck, the word which comes to mind is sparse. Just as in any permutation of a Japanese furniture setting, minimalism gives the entirety of the set - a profound life and meaning that is free of nuances and rich in the Japanese 'Zen' conviction. Alongside the armchairs and the sofas, the Imane coffee table completes the collection as soothing and tranquil, with its sinuous softly-turning edges blending best with an open landscape. From the travertine tabletop to the soft textured cushions, Paolo Castelli succeeds in enriching the world with a collection that is simple, minimal and comfortable.

Furthermore, Ipanema - the brainchild of architect and designer Thierry Lemaire for Paolo Castelli’s Inspiration line, is a clear forecast of utmost comfort and opulence. A rich tribute to modern French and Italian furniture, the elegant three-seater sofa, the Ipanema armchair and the coffee table are uncomplicated yet symmetrical. They hold the aura of a chic setting that is concomitant with the French style and grace. The metal frame structure of the Ipanema sofa and armchair is finished in matte black satin nickel with matte gold feet, draped seamlessly in satin-velvet fabric crafted by the historic French brand Metaphores from Paris. At the same time, the two contrasting coffee tables as part of the Ipanema collection add to the finesse of the setting with three precious marble tops: Grand noir Antique, Calacatta and Sahara Noir.

As a global trendsetter, Paolo Castelli boasts exquisite craftsmanship and design philosophies from renowned designers such as Michele De Lucchi, Luigi Cerri, Stefano Giovannoni and Luca Scacchetti, to name a few.  Established under the direction of the Italian designer Paolo Castelli, the design firm specialises in the implementation and enhancement of large projects from the hospitality, residential and commercial industries.