COMPILED BY Steve Smith
After a recent visit to Portugal Home Week, editor Steve Smith reckons the country’s high-end, handcrafted furniture brands are its best-kept secret.
Portugal may be a country acclaimed for its ceramics and textiles, but Portugal Home Week, held in the beautiful northwestern coastal city of Porto, showcased equally impressive wares by local furniture makers.
Housed at the Alfândega do Porto – the historic customs house on the Douro river – Home Week was a bit like Decorex or Design Joburg here in South Africa, and was held as part of a drive to promote the “Made in Portugal Naturally” brand.
It was also a wonderful illustration of exactly why this nation’s furniture makers are enjoying such growing global acclaim, with styles that vary from dark polished-wood sophistication to Scandi-style minimalism and the more avant-garde. Here are some of our favourites…
MEZZO COLLECTION
Mezzo Collection is inspired by 1950s and ’60s mid-century furniture, and re-interpreted with a modern twist. This is the Retro Moryson sideboard, which uses a tubular, gold-plated brass frame as structural support for the glossy lacquered wood.
MOOZA
Also from Mooza’s Natura range, the dining table above features tree trunk-like bases made of lacquered walnut, with a tabletop of bronze glass.
OIA
Focusing on working with natural stone, OIA’s Endless console (below) is made entirely of marble. The interconnection of its geometric plates is inspired by American sculptor Erwin Hauer’s work.
DOMKAPA
Based in the north of Portugal, Domkapa specialises in upholstered furniture. The minimalist Yumi bed is inspired by elegance, comfort and balanced lines. At its foot is the Colbert bench, with legs of textured black iron and an oval seat. Above right, a lounge with the generously proportioned Parker sofas and leather Alexander armchairs that swivel on their base also features the Grant pouf with detailed stitching in the foreground, as well as steel-and-wood Inside side tables.
WEWOOD
Wewood Portuguese Joinery specialises in handcrafted furniture that’s characterised by enduring aesthetics. Featured here is the solid oak and walnut Casanova sideboard; the Odhin lounge chair, inspired by 1950s Danish design; a Corner coffee table; and the Bowie sofa, which plays with the slim appearance of metal and the robustness of wood.
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