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Outdoor design is increasingly in communication with the indoor world: furniture collections tend more and more to blur the boundary between inside and outside, which is also less clearly defined at the architectural level. As a result, businesses like Talenti that serve the outdoor sector are creating furniture that performs extremely well in the open air but has all the attention to detail and elegance of indoor furniture “without sacrificing the contact with the environment we aim to convey through our work,” points out Federica Cameli, Marketing and Communication Manager at Talenti.
Marazzi is a longstanding partner of the Umbria-based company, supplying table tops from its The Top collection of large porcelain stoneware slabs specifically developed for the production of furniture tops and claddings. “For us, Marazzi means reliability and quality,” Ms Cameli continues, “so, as in previous years, all the porcelain stoneware features we exhibited at Salone del Mobile are by Marazzi. Not just table tops with fresh, new effects and colours but also the decorative and ‘architectural’ components of our stand at the show.”
How has outdoor furniture evolved in terms of style and choice of materials?
Outdoor furniture has evolved towards a more sophisticated aesthetic. On the one hand, here at Talenti we felt the need to give “dignity” to outdoor furniture, which until a few years ago had only a marginal role in the creation of both residential and contract products, while on the other the expansion of open-air living in the last decade has led everyone to rethink their priorities, increasingly opting for solutions that are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing and sustainable.
Which materials are most widely used for outdoor furniture and what are the key characteristics?
Weather-resistance and sustainability are essential. Therefore, most of our output focuses on easily recyclable materials. Apart from timbers such as FSC-certified Teak and Accoya, a fast-growing wood treated using a non-toxic process, we also use aluminium, which is versatile and recyclable ad infinitum, steel, with its excellent resistance to corrosion, and crafted concrete. For the tops of our tables, we choose eco-friendly raw materials that are not only resistant to rain and thermal shock but also easy to care for. Porcelain stoneware is one of our stalwarts: included in 70% of our collections, it’s extremely versatile with its vast range of finishes. It’s followed by VittEr, a compact laminate produced without formaldehyde, and natural and lava stones, the latter with an extra gloss finish provided by the ceramisation of melted recycled glass.
What have been your choices concerning the porcelain stoneware tops of your tables?
One of Talenti’s strong points is the multi-material nature of its tops: products that provide, for example, the veining of wood with the solidity of porcelain stoneware or stone. Our new collections are in earthy colours, so beige prevails in the shades of the stoneware tops: delicate, luminous, versatile and undeniably elegant, it features on items from cords to fabrics and in the colour schemes of the tops, with irregular, vibrant textures.
Which one piece best represents the collections created with Marazzi slabs?
Probably the 320×120 cm Cruise Teak table, where the top in The Top Marble Look Capraia or Elegant Black finish contrasts perfectly with the Smoke Teak frame. It’s one of our most elegant products, displaying all our know-how in terms of craftsmanship and attention to details. A piece where the stoneware slab definitely plays a leading role.
