Mistral Low Back Sofa

Curl up in a soft landscape of upholstery and cushions partitioned and protected by impeccably handcrafted wraparound screens. With a perfect balance of subtle and sophisticated details, new seating group Mistral is designed to complement rather than control the surrounding aesthetic. With its pleasing chorus of symmetrical curves and a natural, neutral palette of colours, fine lines and delicate details abound in this low-key collection from Gloster.
Henrik Pedersen, the Danish creative behind some of Gloster’s most successful furniture collections, likens his latest design Mistral to a small, standalone hideaway. But mindful that island life can be lonely Henrik suggests combining several units; “like a small, private archipelago where you seek refuge and hang out in lazy summer days”.
The base is comprised of a tapered plantation teak platform supported by cleverly engineered, gently curving cast aluminium legs finished in a durable, Meteor colour, textured powder coat. This supports two stylish upholstered cushion pads which provide a luxurious feel while maintaining slimline style. Deep back cushions and a selection of scatter cushions are then added to complete the comfort. With the addition of one or more interchangeable back panels handwoven in a distressed finish, Koala colour outdoor Wicker, the large base can be configured as a sofa, left or right facing chaises or daybed. Similarly, the smaller base functions as an ottoman or a generously proportioned lounge chair.
An elegant combination of three essential materials, the creation of Mistral by the Gloster Product Development team required a consistent attention to detail. Tim Cook, R&D Director at Gloster, explains the process: “The first step was to marry the solid teak base with a combination of the cast and extruded components that make up the aluminium legs. Once that was achieved via close collaboration between the teak and metal working departments, attention turned to the wicker material. Here a natural looking wicker was crucial to the refined look and feel the designer determined.”

Tim oversaw the development and testing of a new wicker that features a brushed surface, further enhanced with a spiral cut effect, to give the look and feel of a natural twisted rope that is 100% weather resistant. Finally, the upholstery was refined by the upholstery department with a two-layer cushion, where a firm foam-filled base supports a luxuriously soft topper pad. With Gloster’s signature attention to detail, the topper pad is held in position with a full-length zipper to allow for ease of use and future maintenance.