Borders between the indoors and outdoors cease to exist in the 2020 Outdoor Collection by Minotti, which was marvellously coordinated by Rodolfo Dordoni. Editor Hamish Kilburn shares his first peek of the collection…
Long before the pandemic disrupted our social lives, the industry had identified a rising interest in open-air living.
A demand for biophillic design, combined with a desire to explore new sustainable approaches and materials to evoke wellbeing, opened the door so that designers could flirt with nature to design innovative spaces.
Minotti, very much a pioneer behind changing the definition of premium outdoor furniture, has used this approach for some time now in its designs for furnishing open-air areas. The brand realised early on that spaces with an inviting, relaxing vibe – whether they are corners of urban nature, exteriors nestled in the lush green landscape or overlooking the tranquil waters – evoke a natural sense of luxury and escape.
The 2020 Outdoor Collection develops these principles with targeted design proposals, which originate from different design cultures but are conceived to co-exist in a harmonious dialogue. It focuses on the independence of the individual pieces, each with its own identity and original personality, but also with the versatility required to design compositions that can furnish large spaces, and to be mixed with other elements of different styles from the 2020 Outdoor Collection.
The collection, coordinated by Rodolfo Dordoni with Minotti Studio, hosts pieces by leading international designers, such as GamFratesi, Marcio Kogan / studio mk27 and Dordoni himself. The outdoor furniture pieces are based on the main geometric shapes – square, rectangle, circle -, one of the characterising features of the 2020 Indoor Collection. The couture aspect, another leitmotiv of Minotti’s interior design projects, can be found in the sophisticated juxtaposition of the materials, in the choice of precious natural wood types, in the exquisite finishes, the textures and the tactile feel of the textile coverings.
Statement pieces of the 2020 Outdoor Collection, coordinated by Rodolfo Dordoni with Minotti Studio, include:
Sunray – Rodolfo Dordoni Design
Image credit: Minotti
Sunray designs a new, open-air landscape where exquisite design and carefully researched comfort join forces to create an intimate, relaxing atmosphere. With its enveloping design, the Sunray seating system is inspired by the desire to design situations that convey a sensation of intimacy and relaxation, in line with the concept of open-air living that imitates the comfort and beauty of indoor furnishing solutions.I
It is designed both to play a leading role in outdoor settings and to complement the other furnishing pieces in the collection.
It juxtaposes different shapes and materials: its airy surface in natural teak wood defines its horizontal line, while the curved backrest with interwoven cords gives it a dynamic allure.
The system, composed of pieces that can be used alone or combined together, offers a variety of compositional solutions thanks to the high versatility of its elements. The family is composed of armchair, sofa, end element with or without extending top, chaise-longue, loveseat, daybed with reclining backrest, and square and rectangular coffee tables.
Sunray Meg – Rodolfo Dordoni
Image credit: Minotti
With a simple and clean design but a vibrant personality, the Sunray Meg coffee tables add a distinctive splash of colour to outdoor settings.
The Sunray Meg family hosts a series of versatile, practical coffee tables in various sizes and heights that blend in perfectly with the most diverse compositions of the Outdoor collection.
The simple, airy design of the metal tubular structure in polished Bronze finish allows for its combination with all the products in the collection. Its distinctive feature is the colour of the top in stratified HPL laminate, available in glossy lacquered White, Rust and Khaki Green finishes, blending in seamlessly with the palette of the outdoor textile collection.
EDITOR’S PICK: Florida – Rodolfo Dordoni
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Natural teak is the wood chosen for Florida to complement the mood of the 2020 Collection and design living compositions blurring the boundaries between indoors and outdoors.
The wide range of elements in Florida allows for the creation of many linear or sinuous compositions that meet the increasingly common need to enjoy smaller, more intimate spaces, as well as convivial spaces also in outdoor environments.
The seating system presents itself as a carefully-designed collection of soft and geometric volumes, defined by profiles in eco-leather suitable for outdoor use, available in four colours – Light Grey, Dark Grey, Brown and Sand. The structure of Florida is in metal, appropriately treated to resist corrosion, and it is immersed in a foam padding, then covered in waterproof fibre and fabric, making it weatherproof.
The Florida coffee table features feet in solid natural teak wood and a top with shaped edge in Pietra del Cardoso, in a brushed finish. Due to its mineral composition, Pietra del Cardoso is exceptionally compact and extremely weatherproof.
The backrest cushions are attached to the wooden rear supports thanks to refined Pewter coloured metal frog fasteners, allowing for the quick release of the cushions and consequently an easy removal of the coverings. The feet are made of solid natural teak wood, as are the rear reinforcements that support the padded backrest.
Fynn Outdoor – GamFratesi
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In Fynn, Scandinavian values meet Italian tradition. A contemporary design for outdoor spaces in teak wood, crafted with fine cabinet-making workmanship.
With a completely innovative approach, the fine cabinet-making process used for the manufacturing of outdoor wooden furniture is applied to a family of outdoor furnishing pieces in solid teak, combining sophisticated workmanship with an ultra-contemporary design.
Characterised by an interwoven frame that hosts soft seat and backrest cushions, Fynn has in the armrest its signature element.
Elongated and slightly curved, rounded and smooth to the touch, it is completely handmade: its precise, well-defined line identifies the entire family, composed of armchair, lounge and dining little armchairs, benches, footstools, coffee tables in different sizes and a dining table.
The Fynn Outdoor armchair and little armchairs feature a distinctive ultra-lightweight aesthetic with a simple structure in teak. The frame is interwoven with wicker-effect cords in Mud colour, hosting a padded seat and backrest cushion, designed as a single element. The informal rigour with which Fynn Outdoor hosts the padded element designs a comfortable seat.
The bench completes the family. Its cushions sit on a frame interwoven with wicker-effect cords in Mud colour.
The coffee tables also share the same line as the wooden armrest, which designs a slight curve also found in the rounded sides of the top. The central part of the coffee table is enhanced by the presence of the top in Pietra del Cardoso, creating a sophisticated combination of materials.
Daiki Outdoor – Marcio Kogan/studio mk27
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The Daiki seats, born out of the Brazilian architect’s passion for Japanese culture, go outdoors, where the open-air space is conceived and experienced as an extension of the indoor living area: a veritable tribute to Japanese design culture.
The Daiki family includes armchairs with a deep seat, available both with and without arms, a dining little armchair and a footstool.
Created using sophisticated wood crafting techniques, the curved shell in solid teak comprises two elements joined at a 45° angle, with a sloping backrest that guarantees maximum comfort. In the outdoor version the shell offers a snug fit for the stitched cushions, and is set on a stainless-steel frame with Bronze-coloured varnished polished legs.
A design that also explores and reinterprets the American Mid-Century atmospheres, injecting new life into the style of contemporary outdoor furnishing with its clean, bold lines, exquisite teak working technique and balanced proportions.
Block Outdoor – Rodolfo Dordoni
Image credit: Minotti
With its sculptural look and frame in solid wood inspired by Brutalist architecture, Block Outdoor stands out for its big personality.
Structured in the form of a block of solid wood, the base of the Outdoor version of the Block coffee table retains its solid volume in the shape of an “L” or an upside-down “T”, but it is proposed in natural teak.
The top, with smooth edges resembling a river pebble, and tactile finish, is available in Pietra del Cardoso or with a plastic look in White glossy lacquer plastic finish.
The Block Outdoor coffee table is available in two different heights, both with rectangular top.
Avery – Minotti Studio
Image credit: Minotti
With its modern vibe and reassuring, sophisticated colour, the Avery rug elegantly furnishes outdoor spaces. The Avery rug stands out for its woven mesh structure, made with special looms that are exclusively custom-engineered for Minotti. It is the result of a semi-artisanal crafting process, which involves assembling strips of material sewn with high tenacity yarn. The acrylic fibre used to make it respects and enhances its characteristics of permeability, breathability and suitability for humid environments.
In conclusion, by using the same designers and styles in both areas of the 2020 collection, Minotti and the masterful designers behind each piece have further blurred the line between indoor and outdoor furniture, and in the process have taken luxury furniture into a new era.
Main image credit: Minotti
