Italian designer Luca Nichetto has created furnishings, including tables, sofas and benches, to be used in workspaces, residences and museum galleries.

Designed in collaboration with American brand Bernhardt Design, the Luca Collection marks Nichetto's US furniture debut. The designer wanted to create "universal" pieces that suit various environments and that can be arranged both collectively and individually.

"The brief was to create a modular seating system — so I immediately gravitated towards designing something universal, meaning that it works as a collective but also as freestanding pieces," the designer said.

"These days public spaces are becoming more like home, and our homes are becoming more public, so why not do something that can cross over to both worlds?" Nichetto added.

"I wanted to do a project that emphasised the idea of 'connecting by communicating,' designing a classical typology as a modular seat with a little twist, allowing it to fit into any environment."

The 41 pieces in the collection all feature "gentle curves" and were designed for display and use in a range of interiors.

"The collection, with its uniformity and gentle curves, was conceived to anchor open spaces in diverse environments ranging from museum galleries and corporate lounges to modern living rooms," Nichetto continued.

Seating options in Luca include upholstered benches, loveseats, chaises, and sofas, which easily connect to one another either linearly or by their curved corners. All of the pieces come in modular and can be re-configure in a number of ways.

Upholstery on the pieces is also customisable and can include any of Bernhardt Textile's designs, leather, or leather alternatives. Legs are available in a polished aluminium, matte black or satin white.

To make the series adaptable to working environments, the designer has inset a flat, wood board into several of the pieces that can be used as a work surface or end table. Several outlet ports for charging devices or lamps are also included.

Freestanding rectangular and circular benches and poufs are designed to provide colourful accents to the larger furnishings, which feature the same curved forms in their design.

Tables in the collection were designed to meet the various needs of both commercial and domestic settings and come in a variety of shapes and heights. Designs include rounded accent tables, rectangular coffee tables and circular laptop stands.

Finishes for the tabletops include oak, walnut, solid laminate or Corian and cast aluminium or matte on the angled legs.

Luca Nichetto founded Nichetto Studio in 2006. His previous projects include a colourful lighting collection that uses Murano glass and the Canal Chair which pays homage to Venice through its boat like form and pattern.

Bernhardt Design was started in 1980 by the 130-year-old Bernhardt Furniture Company and represents many designers including Ross Lovegrove, Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance and Yves Béhar. In 2015 French designer Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance created a collection of oval shaped lounges for the brand and to celebrate its 125th anniversary it commissioned several designers to reinterpret a piece of traditional American furniture.