In Ancient Incan society, time and space were a single concept. Known simply as pacha, this early cosmic philosophy argued that you couldn’t have one without the other. This season, such metaphysical musings have been revisited in a spellbinding new collection by Poltrona Frau. All soft leathers and exquisite details, the 2021 novelties establish time as the only real luxury any of us has. Seen through this lens, the task of stylists and architects is simple. How can we make more of it? How do we savour it? And what would it mean to design spaces around such a concept?

“After a long and lethargic year, we know exactly what we want to make time for. Even if the circumstances didn’t always allow it,” explains Ludovic, Creative Director at Chaplins.

“Simple pleasures like going out for coffee with a long lost friend. Or an unhurried conversation out of the earshot of kids.”

The desire for such stolen moments informs many of the new Poltrona Frau designs. There are beautiful room dividers, meticulously woven with leather fronds — perfect for delivering discretion and space.

Enrico Fratesi

Indeed, they are. Plot reveals what happens when we give important tasks their due space. Behind its supple shades, spontaneous playrooms emerge. And soothing workspaces are staked out. Privacy and comfort are restored.

The sense of home as something that is both secret and shared is also explored in Neri & Hu’s Mi units. Steeped in Eastern philosophy, they arrive, via a process of subtraction, at a variety of poetic storage solutions.

“The phrase Mi comes from the Chinese expression Xu Xu Mi Mi. Which basically means searching for something,” explains Rossana Hu.

“Usually with a cabinet, you immediately stumble on what you are looking for. But with this collection [and the way it’s configured] you have to take your time to seek it out.

If there’s a single red thread that ties this collection together, it’s this one. The Poltrona Frau designers want you to slow down and savour life in all its idiosyncrasies. But in order to do so, we have to be able to pay attention in an all-too-familiar space: the splendid little sanctums we each call home.

Their solution this season has been to serve up statement styles whose touch-me textures infuse everyday routines with new beauty and richness. There are coffee tables crafted from Nero Pagoda marble. Each of whose tiles have been individually arranged so that that that grains run parallel to the rest of the table. And upholstered desks, cloaked and sewn to evoke the nostalgic presence of a leather-bound book.

The longing for homes that are tantalisingly alive also goes some way to explaining the softer side being explored at this Made in Italy brand. Classics like the Ginger Ale, Archibald and Times Chairs, once distinguished by their sculptural leathers, have returned this season in new fabric upholsteries. In their cosy new identities, they speak to a time-honoured desire for connection and warmth.

Of course, no Poltrona Frau collection would be complete without something truly extraordinary. And this year the honour goes to the Infinito Dining Table. Forged as much but luck as it was by Roberto Lazzeroni, its story began in the depths of a Rosso Lepanto quarry in Turkey. There amid the sea of red rock was a dazzling block of emerald-like stone.

From this unique, unrepeatable event, 150 limited edition tables were born. Each of them sculptural. And each hewn with the slow grace of the elements. On top, two slabs of jade marble meet like tectonic plates, drawing out a figure of eight — the symbol of infinity. While below, the twisted pillars whirl to form an impossibly dramatic marble base.

Taken together, this collection of unhurried designs serves as a testament to the possibilities of life in the slow lane. An idea which, at first, can seem at odds with some of the usual clichés about luxury living.

Ponder it some more, however, and you’ll realise that it’s one that makes perfect sense in our current age. Our ability to feel fulfilled in 2021 and beyond will depend not on how many possessions we can burn through, but on the ability to make things last. To savour the good moments in life and find time for those we love most.

Indeed, in the words of Poltrona Frau‘s CEO, Nicola Coropulis, the global slow down has given us the chance to “concentrate on the present. To savour every moment. And enjoy all those sensations, no matter how fleeting.”

What moments are you looking forward to creating in the post-pandemic world? Be sure to let us know on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. You can also explore the full 2021 Poltrona Frau collection below…