Natevo, the new brand created by Italy’s Flou, produces a complete range of furnishings that all include one extremely unusual feature: they have been fitted with LED lights that illuminate their surroundings. An apartment furnished with pieces from the Natevo range will have no need for lamps, chandeliers and other light fittings – with undeniable advantages in energy, financial and ecological terms.
The first apartment is presented here. It was designed by Matteo Nunziati, who designed the furniture and the accessories for the home decor. Natevo then developed the illumination technology project. The second and third apartments will be designed by Salerno-based Studio Viscido (Italy) and the architecture studio Toner Architects from Istabul. In turn, the designers will create the Natevo furniture for the interior decor.
NUNZIATI APARTMENT
For the furnished apartment with Natevo items, for the residential block designed by Zaha Hadid in Milan’s real estate complex CityLife, Natevo wished to create a pleasant and contemporary atmosphere, with elements that were both basic and emotionally charged. The products designed were inspired by the German rationalism of Bauhaus, where performance and purpose are transformed into beauty and elegance. The characteristic feature common to all pieces of furniture are the straight, sharp, decisive lines, a sort of geometric scaffolding that produces bookcases, storage containers, dining tables, coffee tables, armchairs, beds and wardrobes. The light fittings are included inside pipes, and the end result is an eye-catching contrast between the shape of the structure and the gentle embrace of the indirect light. Traditional and sophisticated materials have been used in the production of the furniture: aluminium, wood and marble. The contrast perceived is transformed into the balance between antique and modern, between contemporary lines, innovative technology and surfaces extracted from memory.
In this project, Natevo tried to achieve equilibrium between esthetics and performance, poetry and purpose, emotion and practical use. The idea was to create products and ambiences in which light was envisaged as an innovative solution for furnishing the home. Integration of light in furnishings eliminates the need for the majority of light fittings (for both technical and decorative illumination), their associated cost, the complicated installations involving channels for connecting the cables, the fuse boxes, electrical connections and masonry work on the ceilings or on the walls.
The process is very simple: the pieces of furniture are positioned according to the plans, the plug is inserted like a normal decorative lamp, and this creates extraordinary illumination and esthetic effects. This solution is an interesting one, not just for the domestic market but also in large real-estate projects, hotels or residential properties; as the total number of fittings required for a residential complex is much greater than the number for an individual home, it is an essential factor of any building construction project to contain the costs of installation, maintenance and purchase of each individual product. This collection provides the real-estate investor with the possibility of eliminating all of the light fittings simply by integrating them in the furniture itself; management is straightforward and the esthetic standards and the quality are extremely high.
Living area The properties of the materials and the possibility of creating versatile arrangements with a contemporary slant are the features that link the bookcase and the TV unit. The LEDs are inserted into the vertical uprights and they illuminate the surroundings creating suggestive effects. For both pieces, the structure is bronzed brushed aluminium; shelves, lacquered doors and back panels have been added – these have a scratch-resistant structured surface, Cambridge finish. The cupboard has a structure in a bronzed brushed aluminum and has been designed to combine shape and function. In addition to the storage capacity of the drawers, it can be used as a display unit for vases, sculptures and other prized possessions. Its esthetic and practical values are enhanced by the LED lights fitted along the posterior bar.
Master bedroom This elegant double-size bed has been upholstered in leather; the base and the headboard have soft upholstery; the ensemble is completed with the duvet cover “Piper,” a runner and decorative cushions in “Ionio” fabric. The LEDs have been fitted to the back frame in bronzed brushed aluminum. This extends at the sides to create the nightstands with a structured scratch-resistant surface, Cambridge finish. LED have also been fitted to the front panel of the bed that also houses the TV. The vanity unit is a delightful piece of furniture that can be used as a make-up mirror, for reading or surfing the web; the top surface is coated in leather. The LED lights are fitted in the frame of the mirror.
Master bedroom Adjacent to the bedroom, the spacious walking closet is equipped with open storage units, drawers and shelving positioned at different heights. The LEDs have been fitted to the vertical uprights.
Children’s bedroom Joy, happiness, colour, performance – these are the elements a child would wish for in his/her bedroom. The beauty of the twin beds, with the padded base and headboard finished with completely removable Ecopelle covers, is enhanced by the eye-catching duvet covers “Swing.” The beds are joined by a posterior beam fitted with the LED lights, two nightstands at the sides. Positioned against the wall, the spacious chest of drawers, backlit by LED lighting, has a structure in bronzed brushed aluminum with a structured scratch-proof surface, Cambridge finish.
Changing room The entire wall of the service area has been reserved for the large six-door wardrobe. The internal arrangement is extremely rational – the clothes rails are at differentiated heights, there are shelves, open sections, drawers and drawer units – ideal storage for all the family’s needs. The LEDs have been fitted in the edges of the structure and this illuminates the changing room. The entire length of the mirror frame in bronzed brushed aluminum has been fitted with LEDs.
Study The desk attracts immediate attention for the elegance of its design combined with the function. The base is raised and thanks to the LEDs, it illuminates the work top embellished with an elegant armrest panel in leather. The structure is in bronzed brushed aluminum with a structured scratch-proof surface, Cambridge finish. The seat and the backrest of the chair are leather; the frame consists of iron and straps, with expanded polyurethane padding. The LED lights have been fitted in the vertical panels of the bookcase and along the edges of the wardrobe; these illuminate the environment creating a highly suggestive esthetic effect.
For more information about Natevo, visit http://www.natevo.com/