Creating an oasis of wellbeing with Flou
Brand story by Alyn Griffiths
Meda (MB), Italy
17.05.22
Italian furniture maker Flou has been dedicated to a core philosophy of comfort since its inception in 1978. Here, a picturesque country residence showcases the brand's latest designs in situ.
Italian brand Flou produces furniture that feels perfectly at home in places such as this elegant countryside villa
Italian brand Flou produces furniture that feels perfectly at home in places such as this elegant countryside villa
×Our homes should be havens of peace and sanctuary where we can escape the stresses of daily life and truly relax in a comfortable and familiar setting. Everyone has a unique sense of how best to curate their home to achieve this feeling of relaxation and belonging. Of course, the furniture and objects we surround ourselves with play a vital role in helping to create an environment that is beautifully designed and deeply personal.
'More than ever, the home must transmit a sense of serenity, hospitality, good humour and peace'
'The home has always been one of the places most dedicated to relaxation: an intimate place that is only ours,' suggests Massimiliano Messina, the President of Italian furniture brand Flou, which offers a range of 'total living' products focused on bringing elegance, harmony and emotion to domestic spaces. 'In recent years, as everyone has been spending a lot more time at home, this has become even more important,' Messina adds. 'More than ever, this means the home must transmit a sense of serenity, hospitality, good humour and peace.'
The manufacturer's Gaudí corner armchairs create comfortable outdoor areas for conversation or relaxation
The manufacturer's Gaudí corner armchairs create comfortable outdoor areas for conversation or relaxation
×A case study in comfort
One of Flou's latest residential projects displays the company's furniture in a stunning home that demonstrates how architecture, furniture and accessories can combine to create an ideal space for some quality downtime. The attractive domestic scenes invite us into a world of calmness and comfort, where morning light illuminates indoor and outdoor spaces furnished with some of Flou's most popular products. It's a vision of a relaxing weekend in the countryside, spending time immersed in nature, relaxing with a book on the sofa or enjoying a glass of wine on the terrace.
Flou's latest residential project is a vision of a relaxing weekend in the countryside, spending time immersed in nature, relaxing with a book on the sofa or enjoying a glass of wine on the terrace
Throughout the different rooms, Flou's products combine to create a sense of cohesion and refined style within the home. The pieces selected for the project are from different collections and bear the signatures of several leading designers, each with their own distinctive personal style. The combination of complementary colours, soft shapes and natural materials ensures the pieces blend together to produce a timeless and welcoming ambience that aligns with Flou’s core brand values.
The curved bases and varying heights of Flou's Pierre tables allow them to overlap and create playful compositions for any room
The curved bases and varying heights of Flou's Pierre tables allow them to overlap and create playful compositions for any room
×Gentle shapes and natural materials
In the living room, large windows allow warm natural light to play across the surfaces of the Olivier modular sofa designed by Emanuela Garbin and Mario Dell’Orto. The soft and inviting seating arrangement is complemented by poufs and coffee tables from the Pierre range by Studio Contromano, upholstered in a matching textured bouclé fabric. The gently curved shapes of each item allow them to be combined in playful and practical compositions. The Victoria coffee table designed by Emanuela Garbin, for example, slots in neatly beside the sofa and features a slender metal top with a raised edge that prevents items placed on it from falling off. The circular metal Pierre tables are available in different heights so they can overlap each other or stand alongside the poufs from the same series.
The primary bedroom features the Gaudí double bed, designed by Matteo Nunziati, which combines a moulded wooden structure with a soft textile covering for the bed frame and headboard. Natural materials, luxurious bed linens and textured throws create an attractive and inviting atmosphere for relaxation. Next to the bed, the curved metal table by Pinuccio Borgonovo provides a useful surface. On it sits Ilenia Viscardi's practical and sculptural Rugiada lamp, which comprises a linear lamp fixed to a crystal sphere that produces warm and intriguing reflections.
Flou began as a manufacturer of beds – the Gaudí model by Matteo Nunziati (top) epitomises its ongoing pursuit of innovation just as much as the Rugiada lamp designed by Ilenia Viscardi (bottom)
Flou began as a manufacturer of beds – the Gaudí model by Matteo Nunziati (top) epitomises its ongoing pursuit of innovation just as much as the Rugiada lamp designed by Ilenia Viscardi (bottom)
×Flou also manufactures a versatile range of outdoor products, used here to furnish a large terrace accessible from the main living space. The upholstered pieces utilise technically innovative fabrics that are robust enough for external use but still retain the soft and premium feel expected of Flou's furniture range. Outdoor versions of the Pierre armchairs, tables and poufs combine to create an informal arrangement for al fresco entertaining, which can be easily reconfigured throughout the day. A pair of the Gaudí outdoor armchairs with a single arm form a more intimate space for relaxation and conversation. The chairs display the same light and elegant form as the bed, with the organic forms of the iroko wood frame complemented by the cushioned seat.
The lively Pierre chairs and poufs can be specified with fabrics that make them suitable for outdoor use
The lively Pierre chairs and poufs can be specified with fabrics that make them suitable for outdoor use
×Designed for wellbeing
The campaign images present a vision of the home as a place dedicated to relaxation, capturing the principles that have defined Flou's identity since it was founded in 1978. In those days, the company specialised in beds that were designed to promote wellness, innovation and manufacturing quality. Today, those same values are applied to an expanding range of products that embody the idea of all-round comfort throughout the home.
Flou's values of promoting wellness, innovation and manufacturing quality apply to an expanding range of products that embody the idea of all-round comfort throughout the home
'Since Flou started from the world of rest and the bedroom, our greatest attention has always been in the positive sensations that our products can give to those who use them,' adds Messina. 'We have simply transferred everything we have learned about the science of rest and wellbeing to all the furnishings we make for the other rooms in the house.' In June, during the Salone del Mobile design fair in Milan, Flou will present its latest novelties, including sofas, coffee tables, side tables, beds and outdoor furniture. The new products will reinforce the company's dedication to relaxation, providing yet more options for creating good feelings in all sorts of spaces.
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