Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH will unveil a range of new products and collaborations at Salone del Mobile 2019. The ethos running through the collection is one of using contemporary spirit to celebrate the traditions and stylistic heritage of GTV, a brand synonymous with the introduction of the bent beech- wood technique. A unique legacy that enhancing handmade culture has marked the crucial passage from craftsmanship to industry. And now, the brand’s unparalleled expertise and future-oriented celebration of the past are being taken to the next level through collaborations with carefully selected designers, chosen on account of their shared passion for innovation.
Center stage at GTV booth for 2019 Salone del Mobile are the new collaborations with Michael Anastassiades and the storagemilano architectural firm: both are highly distinctive creative voices, with very different style and approach to tackling the archetypal Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH (GTV) pieces for the first time.
These collaborations are a wonderful example of the brand’s capacity for transforming the value of the past into an asset for the future, combining sophisticated stylistic visions in a highly contemporary amalgamation of lines and forms. Chiara Andreatti, GamFratesi and Cristina Celestino are behind the other 2019 products.
New products for 2019
There are seven new products for 2019, including a brand-new line of headboards, a first-hand product category for GTV and a clear tribute to the technique of bent wood, which is widely used in the production of headboards. This sneak preview of the collection features three products, designed to be mounted to the wall and combined with neutral beds. Storagemilano is behind the architectural OTTOW, while Chiara Andreatti brings her distinctive decorative streak to YVETTE and GamFratesi deliver sleek stylishness in the form of RUE.
The three stylish, decorative pieces are designed to bring personality to sophisticated hotel suites and private bedrooms alike, adding each with their intense character personality to any room.
Other new products include: the N.200 and SUZENNE lounge chairs by Michael Anastassiades and Chiara Andreatti respectively, the MOS bench by GamFratesi and a round version of the CARYLLON dining table by Cristina Celestino.
OTTOW – design by storagemilano
Bringing their highly architectural approach to the world of furniture for the first time, storagemilano – the architecture and design studio founded by Barbara Ghidoni, Marco Donati and Michele Pasini – has created the stunning OTTOW headboard, featuring a bent beech-wood structure with square cross-sections, in two finishes: painted black or natural. An intriguing contemporary take on a classic decorative style, OTTOW creates a wood-panelling effect on the wall through a combination of different materials. The side inserts in woven cane frame the central section in perforated wood – also available in the perforated wood and upholstered version – while the black painted version comes with brass details and the stained wood version gets copper. The name is an evocative one: the choice of square cross-sections and the panel of perforated wood reveal that OTTOW is a tribute to Otto Wagner and his iconic 1906 Postsparkasse collection, which remains in the Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH catalogue to this day.
YVETTE – design by Chiara Andreatti
Chiara Andreatti has drawn on the decorative forms of the Belle Époque for her YVETTE headboard, which combines subtle femininity with a bold creative spark. With an eclectic freshness to its graphic style, YVETTE catches the eye for its curved profiling in black lacquered or natural stained wood and black metal tubular frame, which creates a delicate pattern on the wall. The upholstered central panel brings softness to the design, counterbalancing the round decoration in woven cane, which is synonymous with the brand.
RUE – design by GamFratesi
The RUE headboard encapsulates the clean lines and Nordic feel of the GamFratesi brand. Understated yet generous in its rounded forms, the headboard shows character with its use of different thicknesses to create a carefully calibrated arrangement of overlapping elements. Made from a structure in bent beech-wood, black lacquered or natural stained, the headboard is available in two versions: in the first, the insert in woven cane – an iconic GTV detail – is doubled up by the soft padding above, while in the second the woven cane is used for the internal elliptical insert, which sits on the outer frame.
N.200 – design by Michael Anastassiades
The harmonious incorporation of traditional styles defines the new N.200 lounge chair from Michael Anastassiades. The piece provides a sophisticated expression of the Gebrüder Thonet Vienna style and its deep vocation for design innovation. The seat represents the perfect combination of the brand’s history and the tradition of bent beech-wood, whose roots stretch back into design culture for over two centuries. In continuation of the long-standing tradition of naming the seats with ascending numbers, N.200 celebrates the 200th anniversary of the opening of the very first joinery workshop, launched by Michael Thonet in Boppard in 1819.
With a deeply harmonious stylistic approach, the renowned designer has brought his poetic yet disciplined hand to some of the archetypal GTV design features: bent beech-wood and woven cane. These become the distinguishing features of N.200, where method and form come together to create a timeless chair with a deliberately clean, minimalist elegance. The Company and the designer share a focus on attention to detail: the black lacquered or natural stained wooden structure features curving that creates the armrests and feet with apparent simplicity, showcasing the high manufacturing standards at GTV, while the seat and backrest in woven cane contribute to the overall feeling of lightness.
SUZENNE – design by Chiara Andreatti
A piece brimming with contemporary spirit, the SUZENNE lounge chair by Chiara Andreatti offers a graceful take on some of Gebrüder Thonet Vienna’s trademark features: bent beech black lacquered wood and woven cane. The chair features a sleek structure in bent beech-wood, with the combination of straight and curved lines securing the backrest in woven cane, with bent beech-wood frame. The cushions on the seat and backrest are soft and cosy, springing forth like a flower from the stem.
MOS – design by GamFratesi
Carefully calibrated in its dimensions, the MOS bench by GamFratesi has a double function as a seat and a container with open shelf. A contemporary take on a traditional piece, MOS is designed for the bedroom and would be perfect at the end of a bed. However, its subtle, sophisticated character means that it would work well in a hall or lounge too. Sleek and delicate in its aesthetics, with an elliptical shape, MOS really comes into its own when you notice the attention to detail, such as the inviting woven cane shell which conceals the lower surface and connects the seat to the feet, with their brass tips. The structure is made from bent beech-wood, black lacquered or natural stained, while the bench surface is in open-pore painted ash, with a full-length upholstered cushion. Also available with a shorter seat cushion and exposed bench surface.
CARYLLON – design by Cristina Celestino
The CARYLLON dining tables collection by Cristina Celestino is enriched by the new round version with inlaid top in shades of blue and the structure in the new dark blue lacquered wood. The leitmotiv of the collection is the use of square cross-section wood for the structure, which creates a balanced contrast with the rich decorative effect of the tops, which are inspired by straw marquetry, an intricate artisanal technique where strips of straw are inlaid in typical Art Deco colours. CARYLLON is a tribute to the expressive power of marquetry yet also a homage to contemporary styles, showcasing the perfect combination of GTV’s expert manufacturing and the careful selection of materials, which forms a key part of Cristina Celestino’s design style. It’s a clear reference to the centuries-old history of GTV, whose founder Michael Thonet started out as a cabinet-maker. In a harmonious balance of multi-coloured elements, the intense colour palette chosen for the tops contrasts with the bent beech-wood profile and brass details, which represents another salient feature of this unique collection. Rectangular and round dining tables are available, as well as a flower-shaped low table designed to be positioned in front of a sofa, available in two heights.
Set-up
The set-up features fluid spaces, all with their own precise aesthetic styles. The lounge and dining area is for the first time joined by sophisticated suites, showcasing GTV’s ability to furnish both contract spaces and domestic environments with its refined style and the timeless elegance of its contemporary pieces and the iconic models in its historic collections.
In the centre, at the front of the stand, the CARYLLON DINING TABLE by Cristina Celestino in a new round version with a diameter of 1600 mm. It is paired with a number of different models of chair, including RADETZKY by Michele De Lucchi, MAGISTRETTI 0301 by Vico Magistretti and the historic WIENER STUHL, which was designed in 1904, still in the catalogue. Hanging above the table is the WAGASA suspended lamp by Servomuto.
On the right is a sophisticated living area furnished with SUZENNE lounge chair by Chiara Andreatti and Philippe Nigro’s PROMENADE sofa. Inspired by the attention to detail of the Viennese Secession movement, the models feature exposed canaletto walnut structures with square cross-section, as well as panels covered in fabric to give the sofa a particularly impactful effect, especially when positioned in the centre of a room. It’s also possible to add woven cane panel to the upper part, to bring the rear and side of the sofa even more character. The seat is wide and comfortable, with soft cushioning.
Alongside, LOÏE again by Chiara Andreatti, is a lounge chair, with its flowing curves and distinctive backrest in woven cane – also available in technical mesh. The chair has an elliptical structural frame in bent ash wood with double-bevelled effect, available in dyed walnut or open-pored matte black paint. Further evidence of the brand’s meticulous approach to design and respect for traditions is provided by the intersecting fabric belts attached to the upholstered seat, which slots onto the metal structure powder-coated in glossy black.
Completing the set-up are the DUET coffee tables by Cristian Mohaded, with tops in Emperador Brown marble and black frosted glass. The square cross-section legs in bent beech-wood connect elegantly to the brass-coated steel bases, creating a geometric effect inspired by the brand’s traditional lines and curves.
Stealing the spotlight on the opposite side are the new N.200 lounge chairs by Michael Anastassiades, which feature a sophisticated design in bent- beech wood with seat and backrest in woven cane.
Also featured is the TARGA sofa by GamFratesi. One of GTV’s best-selling contemporary pieces, it encapsulates all aspects of the brand’s traditions: the bent beech-wood structure supports the wide seat cushion and the upholstered backrest has a woven cane edge with an ellipsoidal element, the plate (targa), after which the design is named.. In the centre of the space is the ARCH COFFEE TABLE by Swedish duo Front: three slanting legs in bent beech-wood bring dynamism and sleekness to a table that can adapt to virtually any space. Available with a wood top or in glass with bent beech-wood border.
Slightly further back is Gebrüder Thonet Vienna’s first suite, featuring another two new products for 2019: RUE double-volume upholstered headboard in woven cane and MOS bench in the version with seat and double support surface, both by Italian-Danish duo GamFratesi.
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There are a further two suites, the first of which catches the eye with the geometric rigour of the OTTOW headboard by storagemilano, another new piece for 2019 featuring bent wood with square cross-section. Also on display here is the iconic HIDEOUT lounge chair by Front, a piece brimming with personality. Made from bent beech-wood, with square cross-section, it features inviting, full-height wings in woven cane wrap around the upholstered seat and central backrest. Completing the set-up is the WIENER BOX coffee table by Cristian Mohaded, made from wood, metal and woven cane.
The stars of the third suite are the new products from Chiara Andreatti: the YVETTE headboard.
The fluid headboard works wonderfully with the PINCE armchair by LucidiPevere and the CIRQUE stool by Martino Gamper, used here as a side table. PINCE features a C-shaped structure made from bent ash-wood, bringing definition to the backrest. It’s a detail that pays homage to the GTV style, adding a modern twist and bringing the chair a simple, elegant appeal. The geometric lines of the upholstered shell are minimal and well-defined, interrupted only by the subtle texture of the fabric on the backrest, which wraps around the seat. There is playful, circus-inspired vibe to CIRQUE, where the curved structure – the brand’s distinctive feature – is found, unexpectedly, at the base, denoting the outline of the seat with a sequence of two or three wooden circles, which wrap around the legs from top to bottom. The stunning aesthetics are the perfect foil to the functionality of the stool, which is available in two heights.
Next to it is LADDER, a decorative piece designed by Charlie Styrbjörn Nilsson.
There are also two PROMENADE lounge chair by Philippe Nigro, creating a sophisticated relax area, where they are joined by the ARCH COFFEE TABLE by Front and the WAGASA floor lamp by Servomuto.
The final area is dedicated to the MAGISTRETTI 0302 table by Vico Magistretti, with its black lacquered top. The table is paired with the N.o chairs by Front, featuring upholstered seat and backrests in technical mesh, bringing a markedly contemporary feel to the piece. Feminine and eclectic, the forms and proportions of the chairs are defined by the bent beech wood structure and circle used for the backrest. The armrest brings further design interest and is also available in a single version, on one side only.
The right-hand wall is dedicated to chairs, which have always been the brand’s core business. It offers a panoramic snapshot of the wide and varied GTV collection, including contemporary designs, historic models and universally recognised archetypal pieces. Among the stand-out pieces this year are: MORRIS by GamFratesi, with low backrest; CZECH by Hermann Czech, with and without armrests; BODYSTUHL, CAFESTUHL and BISTROTSTUHL, all by Nigel Coates; N.0 by Front and the historic N.14, designed by Michael Thonet in 1860; N.811, designed by Josef Hoffmann in 1930, and LOOS CAFÉ MUSEUM, designed by Adolf Loos in 1898, featured here with a upholstered seat.
Images are courtesy of Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH (GTV)
Find more designs by Gebrüder Thonet Vienna GmbH (GTV): www.gebruederthonetvienna.com
