News: car brand Bentley has become the latest luxury brand to develop its own furniture line with the launch of the Bentley Home range of sofas, chairs and tables.
British auto brand Bentley's collection of luxury designs for the home and office will be produced by Italian furniture brand Club House Italia, which also distributes the home ranges by fashion houses Fendi and Kenzo.
The Bentley Home collection includes a range of seating, tables in various sizes, a pair of cabinets and a bed, which are all designed in neutral colours with wood finishes.
Quilted diamond patterns on the leather interiors of Bentley cars have been adapted for upholstery and the same veneers used for panelling in the vehicles are also used.
The brand will display the products at the Maison & Objet Paris trade fair in January.
Another luxury brand dabbling in furniture and product design is Italian fashion label Fendi. The company collaborated with New York studio Aranda\Laschon to install a collection of seating made up of foam pyramids at the 2010 Venice Architecture Biennale and put its name to an installation of stripy leather furniture at Design Miami last year.
Also in Miami, French fashion house Louis Vuitton showed a collection of portable objects inspired by the brand's signature luggage and travel accessories by designers including Fernando and Humberto Campana.
Sam Jacob shared his thoughts about luxury design in his Opinion column earlier this year - read it here.
Here's the information sent to us by Bentley:
New furniture range from Bentley Homes
» Unique quilted diamond pattern inspired by interiors of Bentley models
» Sophisticated seating options include sofas and chairs
» Colours palette features ivory and taupe
The new Bentley Home collection is inspired by the renowned craftsmanship and exquisite materials that characterise the interiors of all Bentley models. Designed to furnish luxury homes and offices, the collection combines Bentley's inherent qualities of craftsmanship, heritage and tradition, exclusivity and style, with the exacting design of one of Europe’s leading furniture makers.
This exclusive collection blends the finest elements of traditional and modern design, an exercise in subtlety rather than showmanship, incorporating functional performance with comfort and luxurious, sensuous quality. It captures the elan of the Bentley driver, through items that mirror the impeccable quality and attention to detail which is a landmark of the Bentley brand.
The bodies of the new Richmond pieces are created with an embracing double shell and can be covered in either leather or a fine veneer of burr walnut. The same wide selection of veneers which is available for Bentley car customers is also available for most pieces in the collection. The wood is then carefully matched to a padded structure covered in a sophisticated light cashmere. The seating reflects the level of comfort and luxury found in the Crewe-based marque, which makes it unique in its class.
The colour palette is composed of varying neutral tones of ivory and taupe matched with shades of beige and cream. Intricate details such as the leather braid around the contours highlight the soft and sinuous lines. The iconic quilted diamond pattern embossed in the leather interiors of a Bentley has also been interpreted into the unique designs of the furniture.
The new collection consists of the following new pieces:
Richmond
An elegant and sophisticated line of seating which includes sofas, chaise longues and armchairs. The enveloping external structure can have a veneer finish or leather cover. In contrast, the inner structure is covered in leather or linen or in fine cashmere velvet. The profile is embellished by a leather braid.
Madeley & Kendal
A large oval or round meeting table with refined Kendal chairs embellished with leather and the Bentley logo which can be embroidered on the back, on request. A trapezoidal structured table made of curved wood panels with edges embellished in hand-made leather coating. The feet are made of steel with a gun-metal finish.
Sherbourne & Kingsbridge
Tall and short leather-coated cabinets with veneered fronts; these are also available in smooth or quilted leather. Tone-on-tone lacquered interiors with external coatings and shelves of crystal represent the luxury and quality of both Bentley and Club House Italia, part of the Luxury Living Group. The handles and feet are also made from steel with a complementing gun-metal grey finish.
Harlow
A modern coffee table with metal steel structure and a complimentary gun-metal grey finish. The surface is made from onyx or leather coated.
Canterbury
The bed is characterised by an imposing headboard, embracing coated structure available in leather or fabric. The shapes are soft and convoluted, working in harmony with the contemporary and informal line. An innovative duvet cover, Fibra di Legno, is a high-quality fabric made from wood pulp that gives the yarn softness and smoothness, adding to the luxurious feel of this piece.