fornasetti unveils five 'unusual living rooms' as proposals for fantastical interior settings

fornasetti has unveiled ‘unusual living rooms’ — five different proposals for interior settings. united by the imaginative fantasy that distinguishes the atelier’s decorations, the five living rooms are titled: leopardo, facciata quattrocentesca, malachite, soli a ventaglio, and solitario. sofas, armchairs, and benches are complemented with tables, lamps, mirrors, and other accessories, endowing a living room with an ironic yet sophisticated ambiance.

‘soli a ventaglio’ two-seater sofa
iron structure varnished by hand, padded seat and back, jacquard cotton and polyester fabric
139 x 80 x 77 cm.

the creative insight behind ‘unusual living rooms’ comes from two small handwritten booklets, recently discovered in the fornasetti archive. this collection of unpublished drawings and writings by piero fornasetti depicts suns with human faces and other unusual features. one of the unusual living rooms — ‘solitario’, ‘sole’ meaning ‘sun’ in italian — presents these unseen illustrations as part of furnishing decorations that form a complete interior setting.

‘soli a ventaglio’ armchair
iron structure varnished by hand, padded seat and back, jacquard cotton and polyester fabric
73 x 80 x 77 cm.

‘from a collection of ironic drawings, made by my father with that lightness of his that was never sentimental, there emerged a desire to build spaces that create a special atmosphere for a time and a place that will once again be shared,’ explains barnaba fornasetti. although diverse in inspiration — architectural, natural, or purely graphic — the decorations all pay tribute to the unmistakable style found in fornasetti’s drawings and engravings.

‘solecentrismo’ magazine rack
wood screen-printed and lacquered by hand
42.5 x 20 x 39.5 cm

attention to detail and expert craftsmanship bring life to the original drawings, resulting in truly artistic creations that reflect fornasetti’s inexhaustible imagination. the fabrics that cover the seats have printed trompe l’oeil or optical motifs that continue on the tubular iron structures, thereby creating subtle echoes and illusions. designboom recently featured ‘fornasetti theatrum mundi‘, an exhibition in parma that recently opened at the city’s palazzo della pilotta.

‘malachite’ living room

‘malachite’ three-seater sofa
iron structure screen-printed and lacquered by hand, padded seat and back, jacquard cotton and polyester fabric
206 x 80 x 77 cm.

‘malachite’ armchair
iron structure screen-printed and lacquered by hand, padded seat and back, jacquard cotton and polyester fabric
73 x 80 x 77 cm.

‘malachite’ tray
wood with gold leaf, screen-printed and lacquered by hand
diameter 40 cm.

‘facciata quattrocentesca’
two-seater sofa. iron structure screen-printed and lacquered by hand, padded seat and back, printed cotton and linen fabric
139 x 80 x 77 cm.

‘facciata quattrocentesca’ table
iron structure screen-printed and lacquered by hand, wooden table top screen-printed and lacquered by hand
80 x 80 x 40 cm.

‘facciata quattrocentesca’ mirror
curved mirror, wood silk-screened and lacquered by hand
48 x 48 cm.

‘leopardo’ living room

‘leopardo’ three-seater sofa
iron structure screen-printed and lacquered by hand, padded seat and back, printed cotton and linen fabric
206 x 80 x 77 cm.

‘leopardo’ armchair
iron structure screen-printed and lacquered by hand, padded seat and back, printed cotton and linen fabric
73 x 80 x 77 cm.

‘foglie con civette’ table
iron structure screen-printed and lacquered by hand, wooden table top screen-printed, painted and lacquered by hand
40 x 60 x 35 cm.

‘solitario’ living room

‘solitario’ two-seater sofa
iron structure screen-printed and lacquered by hand, padded seat and back, printed cotton and linen fabric
139 x 80 x 77 cm.