Around the world in six Morgan collections

From the feelings evoked by urban or rural landscapes to the captivating beauty of manmade and natural structures alike, the world is overflowing with inspiration. Unlike popular design trends, nature and longstanding architecture offer access to a more timeless aesthetic, which continues to resonate year after year. “At Morgan, we like to name our furniture collections after geographical places,” explained Erin Johnson, Design Director, Morgan. “While their names highlight where we’ve drawn our inspiration from, it’s not always in the way you might expect – sometimes it’s from a building, a series of bridges, a lake or even a feeling.”

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Starting the journey in the Ticino canton of Switzerland, the southernmost canton of the country, Ticino stands out for its warm climate and is the point of inspiration for the Lugano Collection. The glacial Lake Lugano sits nestled in the western Alps – reminiscent of the way Lake Lugano is cradled amongst the mountains, Morgan’s Lugano collection features an upholstered seat and body which float within a strong timber frame. Comprising a lounge chair, small lounge chair and dining chair, the collection offers options to introduce embracing comfort into both formal and informal settings. Designed not only to reflect nature, but to respect it as well, Lugano avoids the need for full product replacement through its composition of three distinct elements, which can be individually updated or replaced.

Next, we head south to balmy northern Spain to be surrounded by verdant mountains in Bilbao. Sitting on the banks of the Nervion Estuary, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is internationally renowned not for both its exhibitions and its architecture. Its large undulating surfaces, defined by clean sharp lines, breathe life into the stationary structure. The Bilbao collection pays homage to this Franky Gehry-designed masterpiece, similarly combining crisp defined edges with gentle, organic surfaces. Like a much-needed retreat to Spain, Bilbao offers a relaxing, luxurious experience through its soft forms and sensuous upholstery.

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Our travels take us to Africa next, to a 200 km stretch of the Kenyan coast, which is punctuated by dozens of kayas, or sacred forests. In these environments, trees are deeply respected by the locals who protect them. And so Kaya, a collection of three lounge chairs and two dining chairs, finds it roots in the openness, honesty and purity of trees. Through its cane detailing and individual, lightweight timber supports, Kaya evokes an atmosphere of ‘komorebi’, the Japanese word for sunshine filtering through leaves.

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Heading further east and crossing several time zones, we find ourselves surrounded by the temples and shrines of Kyoto. When visiting any of Kyoto’s gardens, you are likely to come across yatsuhashi – a bridge consisting of eight overlapping planks of stone or wood, often in a zig-zag pattern. The Kyoto benches, like the iconic bridges, intersect to create informal seating, perfect for spacious venues. Elegant and minimalist, this dual-height seating encourages you to take a less direct route and to pause, sit and appreciate your surroundings from a new perspective.

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Our penultimate stop is New Zealand on Rakino Island, to the northeast of Auckland. One of a cluster of small islands in the Hauraki Gulf, Rakino offers a welcome escape from the busy city, only a short boat ride away. It is perhaps no surprise that Rakino, designed by New Zealander Tim Rundle, should seek to evoke the feelings of calm and isolation that come with a break from urban life – even when specified in a bustling environment. A comfortable and inviting lounge chair, Rakino juxtaposes soft sculptured upholstery with a strong, low line frame.

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Finally, we return to home to England where Goodwood House embodies 17th century stateliness a stone’s throw from the Morgan factory in West Sussex. While there are no limits to where the designers draw inspiration from, Morgan is proud to be ‘Made in Britain’. The Goodwood collection of armchairs and complementary coffee tables reflect the quality, authenticity and timelessness of the nearby estate after which it is named. The design simultaneously nods to tradition and challenges convention, with beautifully chamfered timber arms that stand out as sculptural elements against a simple upholstered backdrop.

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