Piece-by-piece: Nilufar’s beautifully eclectic warehouse at Milan Design Week

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Design 'warehouse' showing a contemporary lounge chaise, bar cabinet, and a U-shaped armchair. The photo is black & white.
Nilufar Depot’s 1,500 sq m design ’warehouse’ stole the show at this week’s Salone with a stunning hybrid of antique, vintage and contemporary works. Pictured: Nilufar Depot at Salone del Mobile, featuring (clockwise from left) ’Rio chaise longue’ by Oscar Niemeyer and Anna Maria Niemeyer, 1977; ’Bar cabinet’ by José Zanine Caldas, 1950s; and ’Reversível’ armchair by Martin Eisler, 1955. Photography: Mattia Lotti
(Image credit: Mattia Lotti)

'Last year it was all about the space, but this week it is much more about pieces,' says the Milanese design doyen Nina Yashar.

The inimitable art dealer opened her sprawling 1,500 sq m design 'warehouse', Nilufar Depot, during last year's Salone del Mobile and is again likely to steal the show with a stunning hybrid of antique, vintage and contemporary works which Yashar meticulously arranges in 'cinematic scenes'. Think retro-futuristic 'Chaise Maurice' armchairs by the Beirut-based david/nicolas design studio paired with the perfectly proportioned, limited edition brass and marble 'Blossom' floor lamp by Analogia Project, atop a vintage rug.

The words 'treasure trove' are often bandied about but the Depot offers a true master class in design. Much on show this week has been specially commissioned, from a trio of Massimiliano Locatelli's fluid 'Urmia' tables and abstract benches by Martino Gamper, to Italian architect Roberto Baciocchi's extraordinary 'Mirror Room', featuring Milanese artist Roberto Giulio Rida's extravagant indigo blue 'Mediterraneo' cabinets. It's not all Italian: we also spotted ethereal pendant lights by American designer Lindsey Adelman, Belgian designer Maarten De Ceulaer's elegant pile of leather briefcases, and the British creative Laura Bethan Wood's 'Ring' chandelier.

The highlight, however, is the intriguing collection of custom furniture and lighting by the young up-and-coming Italian designer Federico Peri, whose integrated 'Biblioteca Itinerante' seat with built-in shelves introduces a fresh take on industrial form. 

'I am obsessed by his idea of building a house with all the same design pieces like Jean Prouvé. The unity of it is very beautiful,' says Yashar.

The gallerist admits she is equally obsessed with Loctatelli's new 3D printed table, created using a machine designed by a NASA engineer to build houses on the moon. 

'This is what Salone should be. Not things you've already seen or that remind you of something from last year. It is about surprising people,' she says. Mission accomplished.

Design 'warehouse' showing three armchairs around a coffee table. There is a closet on the right wall. The photo is black & white.

The furniture pieces are meticulously arranged in cinematic scenes. Pictured: installation view. Photography: Mattia Lotti

(Image credit: Mattia Lotti)

Two armchairs are made of wooden boards that look like they are bent, providing more comfortable seating and an interesting design. The photo is black & white.

The words ’treasure trove’ are often bandied about but the Depot offers a true master class in design. Pictured: installation view. Photography: Mattia Lotti

(Image credit: Mattia Lotti)

A deep armchair is set against a glass coffee table in an asymmetrical shape. The photo is black & white.

New works have been commissioned from a trio of Italian designers: Massimiliano Locatelli, Martino Gamper and architect Roberto Baciocchi. Pictured: installation view. Photography: Mattia Lotti

(Image credit: Mattia Lotti)

A white sitting set consisting of a sofa and two armchairs are set around a wooden coffee table. To the right, we have a dining table and two chairs.

It’s not all Italian: we also spotted works from Belgian designer Maarten De Ceulaer and Brit Laura Bethan Wood. Pictured: installation view. Photography: Mattia Lotti

(Image credit: Mattia Lotti)

A gold chandelier, consisting of many light bulbs and fringe that falls downwards. It resembles a tree branch with fruits on it.

Lindsey Adelman’s ’Cherry Bomb’ fringe chandelier. Photography: Lauren Coleman. Courtesy Lindsey Adelman Studio

(Image credit: Lauren Coleman)

A brass and marble floor lamp.

The perfectly proportioned limited edition brass and marble ’Blossom floor’ lamp by Analogia Project (pictured), was paired with retro-futuristic ’Chaise Maurice’ armchairs by the Beirut-based david/nicolas

(Image credit: TBC)

A bird view of the four chairs sitting to the left, a chandelier in the top left corner, a huge carpet with two chairs, and a lounge chaise in the center.

Yashar says, ’This is what Salone should be. Not things you’ve already seen or that remind you of something from last year. It is about surprising people’. Pictured: installation view. Photography: Mattia Lotti

(Image credit: Mattia Lotti)

A wooden work desk with a chair against it is set to the right. A chandelier with many light bulbs is above the chaise lounge made out of thin wooden stripes.

True to form, Nilufar Depot definitely managed to surprise us. Pictured: installation view. Photography: Mattia Lotti

(Image credit: Mattia Lotti)

INFORMATION

For more information, visit Nilufar’s website

ADDRESS

Nilufar Depot
Viale V. Lancetti 34
20158 Milan

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Catherine Shaw

Catherine Shaw is a writer, editor and consultant specialising in architecture and design. She has written and contributed to over ten books, including award-winning monographs on art collector and designer Alan Chan, and on architect William Lim's Asian design philosophy. She has also authored books on architect André Fu, on Turkish interior designer Zeynep Fadıllıoğlu, and on Beijing-based OPEN Architecture's most significant cultural projects across China.