ZIGZAGS + MISSONI HOME

Zigzag motifs are ‘in’!  Well, they’ve never been ‘out’ to be honest.

We’ve had a long love-affair with the incredible fabrics and clothes produced by the Italian design-house Missoni.  In 2016 we were lucky enough to begin working with the company’s sub-brand Missoni Home.  We love the crazy chevron or zigzag  pattern the company is famous for.  So it was no surprise that Missoni’s imaginative use of this ancient pattern works beautifully on furniture and home accessories.

A MISSONI ZIGZAG TOO FAR?

But a room full of zigzags may, some might say, be a little too much.  It’s a bold design, as is anything geometric.  Throw into the mix bright and clashing colours and if you’re not careful you’re creating a 70’s psychedelia throwback nightmare.  With the current trend for dark walls and heritage colours (thanks Farrow & Ball) we’re constantly advised to use pops of colour to bring a room alive.  Enter stage right: Missoni Home.

And it’s not just brightly coloured zigzags.  Add to the mix bold stripes and some near hallucinogenic florals and you have a smorgasbord of colour and pattern.

The Missoni Home Navaleno rug above demonstrates the Missoni chevron pattern at its best.  Depending on which camp you’re in (mix and match YOLO’,… or ‘love each piece individually but… together?’) this particular styling could be heaven.  Or will make you want to lie down in a room with dark walls. Personally we love it! The stylist has placed the rug with a Missoni Home pouf.  They amply demonstrate the famous zigzags along with the company’s bold, beautiful florals.

MISSONI HOME FOR QUALITY

All of Missoni Home’s designs are manufactured in Italy.  Anyone who is lucky enough to own a piece of clothing will know how high the quality is.  And their furniture and accessories are no exception. The Navalino rug is a pure wool and cotton blend.  Incredibly soft but hard-wearing. Likewise, the sheer number of colours used is awe inspiring.  Not one of them, however, dominates the entire colour palette.  Which in our book is very clever.

We love poufs. Or for that matter, any piece of furniture that legitimately insists you put your feet up.  You couldn’t really say no!  Missoni has created some of the most comfortable and fun poufs we’ve come across. Each pouf  is firm and filled with polystyrene beads that allow just the correct angle for lounging.  And the fabric covers are fully removable.

The Missoni Pallina pouf above is simply stunning.  The fabric used here is called Passifora and it’s just one of so many beautiful floral fabrics on offer.  Think passion flowers, sunflowers and lilies. It’s one of Missoni’s most famous floral designs, originally seen on the catwalk printed on their silk dresses and scarves.

MISSONI FABRICS

We have a huge choice of Missoni fabrics to chose from.  So if there’s a particular colour scheme you have in mind, a favourite flower, or a mixture of the two, let us know. We’d put money on being able to come up with something to fall in love with.

Pop into Go Modern’s Kings Road showroom to have a look at fabric samples or give us a ring to find out more.  Because UK fire regulations are quite rightly very stringent some Missoni fabrics are not available here but are available overseas. Again, come in and chat to us.  There’s an an option to have some of the fabrics specially treated so that they do comply with UK law.

HERITAGE & PHILOSOPHY

Home is one of the great passions of Rosita Missoni.  Rosita is the Missoni ‘matriarch’, who oversees the Missoni Home line.  Born into a family of textile industrialists who produced shawls and embroidered fabrics, she married Ottavio Missoni in 1953. Together they launched and developed a knitwear business in a small workshop in Gallarate, Italy. The couple later moved to the company’s current headquarters in Sumirago, Varese.  Rosita created the lines of clothing while Ottavio designed the fabrics. By the 1960s, Missoni was at the cutting edge of Italian fashion.

Rosita is quoted as saying, “… the house is alive, it always moves, it’s never over …”.  Her personal philosophy and design vision for furnishings is expressed through Missoni Home.  Because pieces are innovative, with a linear form, they’re easy to introduce into existing areas. Using Missoni’s fabrics the brand aims to play a game of indoors/outdoors.  They want to bring the ‘magical atmosphere’ of nature inside.  Consequently the look is both ‘formal and informal’. ‘Artful but light’. ‘Forms separate and unite’.  The overall philosophy?  Simply to create pieces that will help make ‘a versatile and welcoming place for family and friends’.

Another of their striking designs is the Innitil sofa . It’s a roomy three-seater with a linear back and armrests.  The solid wood frame is covered in a multi-density, crush proof polyurethane foam and the covers are removable.  The fabric used for the styling here is Pasadena, inspired by a Californian west coast vibe.  We love the hypnotic geometric jacquard pattern.

AND INTRODUCING MONOCHROME

In contrast, and just when you think your eyeballs wont take anymore colour, there’s the monochrome. And an exciting brand new piece of design.

Firstly take a look at the Miss dining chairs, beautifully upholstered, with slim legs, arms and backs.  It’s  robust steel frame gives just the right strength and stability expected of a dining chair. The expanded polyurethane cushions have variable densities for maximum comfort.  Just perfect for long, relaxed dinners.

Above all, there’s a freshness about the design of these new chairs that we just love.  The black and white ‘zebra’ print fabric used here is Neuss linen with a macro-flame pattern.  Simply stunning.  It’s a huge ‘photo blow up’ of the original zigzag pattern. And the Miss range also has a dining armchair .  Likewise in the same style but with wonderfully exaggerated vertical arms, like wings.  Which look like they might just whisk you off after one glass of Chianti too many.

MISSONI OUTDOOR COLLECTION

And if Missoni plays the game of indoors/outdoors with their fabrics, their stunning outdoor furniture collection is a game we could play for ever. So much to choose from. Chaise longues, garden sofas, armchairs and this amazing leather coffee table that exudes Italian style.

The  elegant Cordula coffee table has an extra-clear glass table top and the solid steel frame is wrapped in a beautiful leather weave.  There’s also a matching armchair  to complete the look.  Beautiful design with Missoni’s usual attention to detail and innovative use of materials.

Finally, as we always say, hop over to the Go Modern site and take a look at all of our great Missoni Home furniture designs.  Share our love  even more of this wonderful Italian brand’s heritage and style.