Milan on the Potomac

Milan is the Mecca for contemporary furniture buyers, where the forefront in design is displayed each April at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile. There, buyers from around the world decide what they will carry in their showrooms that year, and by extension, what interior designers and homeowners will be placing on their purchase lists.

Poltrona Frau, a high-end dealer in Georgetown, is getting ready to take shipment from its Milan orders, and the new furniture should arrive in mid to late summer. But if you like what you see here, you can call and order them today.

Carolina Chair:

My personal favorite, the Carolina looks like the ultimate hammock, or, according to the press kit, “a cozy nest whose uninterrupted form combines seat, backrest and armrests, and mixes the warmth of wood with the tactile charm of leather.”


Helleu:

This is not just any director’s chair. The Helleu is named for the recently deceased artistic director for Chanel, Jacques Helleu. Indeed, the side details resemble the Chanel look. But what’s really unique about this $8,000 chair is that it’s framed with Corian-cladded steel – yes, the Corian you usually see on kitchen counters. According to the press materials, the Corian (in Glacier White) gives the chair a “silk-like touch.”


Ninfea:

This cocktail table is clad in saddle leather on the top and outside, with edges and interior storage space in either Canaletto walnut, ebony or natural oak. One word: Wow!


Cassiopea:

This modern seating system has elements that can be pulled apart and put back together in countless variations. And don’t worry about sitting down on a crack and having the pieces push apart – they are kept together with hidden hooks.


Poltrona Frau is at 1010 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007. 202.333.1166.