During Milan Design Week, natural stone brand SolidNature collaborated with Samir Bantal, director of AMO, on a detailed replication of a supermarket. Beyond the Instagram story bait, this installation also made an important point about the sheer versatility and colour range of stone.
SolidNature was not the only brand capitalising on this particularly versatile raw material. Stone's permanence was a starting point for Sten Studio'a standout installation The Wedding. Here, coloured stone added drama and definition to tables, candleholders, lamps and stools. ABI, a new stone company based in Milan and Cairo, also deftly designed with a stone palette, from alabaster to red and black granite. And Kelly Wearstler x H&M Home created a pleasing patchwork of marble in the form of a tray.
Left: Abi at Salone Raritas. Photo (c) DSL. Centre: Sten Studio. Right: Kelly Wearstler x H&M Home.
Many designers are working with green marble. Based in Jaipur, India, Livio Delesgus takes a playful approach to this monumental material. There was more green at Faye Toogood's collaboration with Tacchini, Material Anthology, and at Gubi with densely veined slabs of Green Guatemala marble. Turri presented a sculptural wooden based table topped with an expanse of green.
Top left: Livio Delesgues. Photo Prarthna Singh. Top right: Tacchini x Faye Toogood, Material Anthology. Photo: © Helenio Barbetta. Bottom left: Gubi. Bottom right: Turri.
Shades of taupe were favoured by Audo for monolithic coffee tables during 3daysofdesign. Similarly, there was pleasingly striated stone at Stellar Works. Meanwhile at Lema it was a striking white veined deep red. This colour was also favoured by Acerbis Design as the base for its glass-topped coffee table.
Top Left: Audo. Top Right: LEMA. Bottom Left: Acerbis Design. Bottom Right: Stellar Works.
Finally, classic black and white combinations haven't been forgotten and can be found in designs by Martinelli Venezia for Bufalini Marmi and at Potocco, with a perky added pie crust trim.
Left: Potocco. Right: Martinelli Venezia for Bufalini Marmi. Photo Marco Menghi.
