Paolo Ferrari’s new furniture collection exhibits fluid forms and a variety of woods
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

In Editions Three, Paolo Ferrari’s third furniture collection, the Toronto-based interior designer signals that his multidisciplinary work is moving in a more fluid direction. The release features nine items that embrace organic shapes, curved edges, and a crisp neutral palette.
Ferrari describes the line as an experiment in ‘loosening up the forms’ of his popular Editions One and Two series. His embrace of softer geometries emerges in objects like the Layered Back Sofa, an elegant curved seat with two pieces cocooned together to form the back, and the Balance Lounge, a circular chair with a solid walnut base that can be held in place by a bronze chock or left to spin freely. A jolt of colour comes in the form of the rusty red Extra Low Rolled Back Lounge, a piece made up entirely of plush cushioning that sits directly on the ground.
Extra Low Rolled Back Lounge, by Paolo Ferrari. Photography: Jeff Green
Taken together, Ferrari’s designs create ready-made interior vignettes. The rounded backs of the Curved Back Dining Chair and Stool nestle into the soft edges of a dining table, while the tubular frame of the Carved Wood Lounge Chair contrasts the notched solid oak supports of the Totem Bookcase. ‘We always consider the relationship and tension between objects,’ Ferrari says. ‘It’s not just about designing one sofa in isolation, but how these things are going to play off of each other.’
One way the furnishings balance each other out is through material choice. Rather than select a uniform palette, Ferrari mixes different wood types, including oak that’s been smoked and limed, left raw, or blackened. These finishes juxtapose especially tactile upholsteries like leather and mohair. ‘As soon as you put mohair on something, you get this thing where people sit on the pieces and start moving their hands across them,’ Ferrari says. ‘We became super sensitive to the hand of the material.’
The result is a collection that feels luxurious, but also comfortable and approachable, too. Ferrari makes products he would want to specify in his own residential, commercial, and hospitality work. ‘Where I find furniture most rewarding is when I’m able to see the pieces in projects,’ he says. ‘These are not museum artefacts that never make it out into the world.’
Double Leg Layered Low Tables and Layered Back Sofa, by Paolo Ferrari
Carved Wood Lounge Chair and Totem Bookcase, by Paolo Ferrari
Balance Lounge, by Paolo Ferrari
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Studio Paolo Ferrari website (opens in new tab)
-
Haute couture week S/S 2023: everything you need to know
Feats of craft and imagination have defined this season’s couture offering, shown this week in Paris. Here, we round up the best of haute couture week S/S 2023
By Jack Moss • Published
-
Modernist architecture: inspiration from across the globe
Modernist architecture has had a tremendous influence on today’s built environment, making these midcentury marvels some of the most closely studied 20th-century buildings; check back soon for new additions to our list
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
National Portrait Gallery unveils new brand identity and programme ahead of 2023 reopening
London’s National Portrait Gallery has revealed its new branding and full 2023-2024 programming information ahead of its much-anticipated June 2023 reopening
By Harriet Lloyd-Smith • Published
-
Taschen tantalises with new edition of Jorge Pardo’s ‘Brussels Lamps’
German publishing house Taschen launches a limited-edition series of five ‘Brussels Lamps’ by Cuban-American artist Jorge Pardo
By Rosa Bertoli • Published
-
Edra’s outdoor furniture is an ode to the sea
Designed by long-term collaborator Jacopo Foggini, the ‘A’mare’ collection of outdoor furniture mimics shiny water, and was named 'Best Disappearing Act' at the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2023
By Rosa Bertoli • Published
-
Peep inside Luca Nichetto’s Pink Villa in Stockholm, part studio, part showroom
Welcome to the pink house that is the new Stockholm home to Luca Nichetto's team
By Maria Cristina Didero • Published
-
These papier-mâché lamps combine craft with sustainability
Sustainability and fine art are the driving inspirations behind ‘resolutely maximalist’ London lighting designer Rowena Morgan-Cox of Palefire
By Tilly Macalister-Smith • Published
-
Brighten up your Blue Monday with these portable lights
The best portable lights and where to buy them: brighten up your Blue Monday with this edit of portable lamps for your desk, garden and more
By Rosa Bertoli • Published
-
Discover colourful rugs from world-leading designers and makers
Discover our selection of colourful rugs, by leading designers, artists and craftsmen
By Rosa Bertoli • Published
-
How to live fabulously: Ash Staging creates colourful house interior in LA
Ash Staging pays tribute to the 1990s with this Los Angeles home interior, featuring breathtaking views and filled with contemporary pieces and vintage design icons
By Pei-Ru Keh • Published
-
Christmas decorations from leading creatives and design brands
Our edit of contemporary Christmas decorations ranges from architect-designed festive ornaments to Christmas baubles by leading creatives
By Rosa Bertoli • Published