Life after COVID is going to look a lot different for most of us — but not for the designers behind these visionary seating options and modular systems. With their high-backed sofas and walled, comforting seating spaces, these award-winning interior solutions seemed to have been made for our post-COVID world. Blending a need for safety with a demand for high style, these are some of the looks we anticipate seeing a lot of like our favorite public spaces open — carefully and creatively —in the coming months.
High Back Seating
Rew System by Rafa Garcia for Sancal
An acronym for “rest-eat-work,” Rew is a versatile family of chairs, sofas, and modules as light as they are comfortable. The thin backs, available in two heights, L and XL, create an intimate, enclosed setting, with the higher backs enabling a degree of privacy whether in an office, dining, or hotel environment. The feet are steel lacquered black or ash, which can be stained to match any of the colors in the collection. An optional USB-A + C and AC socket add even greater functionality.
The Pinch sofa literally “pinches” the backrest and armrests, giving a full, soft, welcoming appearance. The tall sides and back are like the walls of a comfortable room, offering maximum privacy for work or relaxation.
Stripes Sofa by Jerome Gauthier for Marelli
Stripes are characterized by its striped quilting, a tested, sound-absorbing design that can also be equipped with lighting and electric and USB sockets. With covers available in fabric, leather, and artificial leather, Stripe is a sleek and versatile sofa at home in any environment.
Camden Sofa by Rodolfo Dordoni for Molteni&C
Blending elegance and ergonomics, the Camden seating collection features sofas with backrests of different heights, available in a range of finishes “midway between home and contract.” With pressure die-cast, aluminum frames, and hi-tech, aesthetically pleasing textiles, Camden’s distinguished good looks are ideal for creating a cozy corner in a larger living room or giving public spaces a homey, intimate feel.
Chill-Out High by Gordon Guillaumier for Tacchini
Chill-Out High’s unique seating system features “beauty designed to go beyond the limits, over and above the standards of comfort and functionality,” The extra high padded back can be combined with normal-height elements from the same collection, with the desk available in matte Basaltina or polished Carrara or Calacatta marble.
Side Comfort by Formstelle for Zeitraum
Formstelle designers Claudia Kleine and Jorg Kurschner create “innovative solutions for people and brands with high demands on conceptual, technical, and design quality.” With Side Comfort, a modular range of furnishings featuring classic combinations and “upholstered isles,” the strict cubic geometry of the seating lends a distinction that makes it right at home in waiting rooms and lounges as well as modern interiors.
Divider Systems
Creating and defining small environments in open spaces, Isaac Pineiro’s Tapis divider panel system is a functional, aesthetic, and dynamic way of furnishing and creating new spaces within large rooms. A simple change in the arrangement of the panels allows for adapting to the real needs of the moment while preserving the original interior design concept. Available in three heights and two width options, Tapis’s endless textile options offer a wide range of fashionable colors and fabrics that are suitable for severe cleaning conditions; some can even help improve acoustics.
Marelli’s Pendrillon is an innovative modular office system that offers maximum mobility and flexibility. Easy and safe to assemble and move, Pendrillon is ideal for creating an office within a workspace or establishing a private space in a collective work environment.
