For those lucky enough to have spent summers in Italy, you will remember the long hazy days, the sweet scented air, and the slow pace of life. You’ll recall afternoons stretched out by the pool, or on a balcony, idling away the hours as the sun warms your skin and you snack on fresh fruit or sip crisp, cold drinks. There’s something about the Mediterranean country that settles into your skin the moment you check-in to your hotel; that innate appreciation for La Dolce Vita that is hard to replicate but impossible to forget – even once you’re back on home soil.

The new campaign by the inimitable Italian contemporary furniture brand Pedrali is infused with the Italian summer spirit, capturing La Dolce Vita in various collections of outdoor furniture. Set in the Sicilian landscape, the campaign is the newest chapter of the #PEDRALITALES series, and features a tapestry of earth-toned pieces that capture the magic of al fresco living.

#PEDRALITALES

10 vignettes make up the campaign, spanning different outdoor living arrangements that draw on settings that are quintessentially Sicilian. Sunlit dry stone walls, beige marble cobblestones, and walls covered with hand-painted majolica tiles are set against a verdant landscape of centuries-old almond trees, olive trees, cacti, succulents, plants and aromatic herbs. Together, the built and the natural create an evocative palette reminiscent of a piece of art, a canvas only heightened by some of Pedrali’s newest pieces grouped in the scenes.

These settings sublimate the beauty of the products but also emphasise the deep connection between design and the natural landscape where they are placed. While the desire for outdoor living has been on the rise globally, Pedrali’s history gives them an innate understanding of a life spent outdoors, and an ability to create open air spaces that are idyllic and functional, offering the same quality and care of indoor furnishings for a gateway to living La Dolce Vita.

Outdoor dining

The first two settings show how social dining atmospheres can be achieved outdoors, playing off natural and traditional elements – such as stone or tile walls – to create a juxtaposition of old and new, and refined and rambling. 

The first shot features a Toa table by Robin Rizzini and Guinea armchairs by CMP Design, where the combination of an industrial-robust aesthetic with a decorative finesse create the ideal outdoor arrangement. The Toa table’s geometric form and thin, die-cast aluminium legs creates a playful and functional base to support a variety of table-top options, such as the solid laminate, also in stone or terrazzo effect, while the Guinea armchair features an aluminum base, visually and physically softened by teak armrests, with the seat and backrest made of waterproof textile mesh, and a removable cushion.

In the second dining setting, Lamorisse armchairs by CMP Design create a relaxed dining setting, with the versatility of the armchairs’ cocooned seat creating a flexible dining-come-living space. Gathered around a second Toa table, the visual juxtaposition of the sleek supporting frame and the generous, cosy cushion echoes the hard and soft relationship of the Sicilian landscape, where angular stone structures are mixed with a lush natural environment.

Reminiscent of the terrace cafe, the third dining arrangement is an ode to curvature, with the Anemos table by Pio and Tito Toso and Babila Twist armchairs by Odo Fioravanti, creating a moment of pure escapism.

Characterised by a large and comfy woven seat with a flat rope in weather-resistant polypropylene, Babila Twist creates a play of light and shadow on the backrest. The materiality and composition make the armchairs easy to disassemble and recycle, while the polyurethane foam cushions offer quick-drying fabric for year-round practicality.

The Anemos table is characterised by simple and architectural shapes, with a distinctive base of two separate concrete shells with a double curvature. The shape of the base allows the thickness of the table’s concrete to be left to a minimum, resulting in a piece that seems sculpted by the wind.

Perfect for an afternoon aperitivo, Panarea by CMP Design creates a casual dining or conversation setting, with colours and materials that recall the Mediterranean coastline. The collection of outdoor seats, including an armchair, a lounge armchair and a barstool, features a wide and curved backrest hand-woven in a  polypropylene cord, giving  the chair a three-dimensionality and graphic rigour, as well as making it transparent, easy to move and suitable for outdoor use.

Lounging around

Pedrali’s sofa collections create environments that are both vibrant and relaxing, spaces nestled in lush vegetation: perfect for relaxing in the open air. In the first of these settings, Arki-Sofa offers comfort and elegance, capturing the essence of an indoor piece in an outdoor-ready design.

The latest addition to the Arki family, the sofa carries through the extruded aluminium frame and the linear, rigorous shapes of earlier designs, adding geometrically shaped and generously thick cushions for ultimate comfort, and polyurethane foam padding with waterproof lining for exceptional outdoor performance.

In a more wild setting, Patrick Jouin’s Reva Cocoon, brings a dreamy structure marked by pure lines and fine appearance. As a system of lounge seats for outdoor use, Reva Cocoon offers flexibility and adaptability, linear and corner elements and chaise longues, meaning entire settings can be made. The striking backrests woven rope bring a nautical element, while the silhouette lends protection and shelter from the outside world for those seeking a moment of relaxation and escape.

In the same vignette, Panarea lounge by CMP Design, while a Caementum table, a Giravolta wireless lamp by Basaglia Rota Nodari, and a Twiny outdoor rug by DWA Design Studio, complete the arrangement, creating an entire living room under the Sicilian sun.

In the third lounge setting, a Nolita Sofa and Nolita Relax by CMP Design are infused with a summer spirit, featuring simple and iconic shapes and a steel tube structure that provide visual rhythm and gentle proportions and ensure the greatest strength and durability. Recalling Mario Pedrali’s first metal garden chairs in 1963, the Nolita collection tracks the course of time, updating this original vision with soft cushions in a waterproof lining, outdoor polypropylene fabrics, and a versatile frame that sees different modules able to be combined. 

Philía, by Odo Fioravanti, takes centre stage in the fourth lounge shot. Recalling the Sixties with its geometry and colour spectrum, Philía’s chair and armchair blend with softer forms typical of the human body. A high tensile steel tubular frame, and seat and backrest wrapped in a textured pvc cord ensure durability and performance, while the horizontal direction of the weaving ensures elasticity and high resistance.

Relaxing poolside

Moving poolside, Pedrali has created a sumptuous space with the new Buddy Oasi collection. Presented here in vibrant and playful tones reminiscent of the surrounding gardens, the setting is elegant and welcoming, and we can easily picture ourselves spending entire summers here.

Designed by Busetti Garuti Redaelli, the generously sized pouffes of the collection contrast between the bold volumes of the seat and the lightness of the legs. A movable backrest made of injected polyurethane foam, offers multiple configurations and endless comfort, while a waterproof lining and removable outdoor fabric cover ensures easy maintenance.

Accompanying the lounge seating is Caementum by Marco Merendi and Diego Vencato, a monoblock concrete table specifically designed for outdoor use. Available in two heights and crafted from highly resistant material, the tables guarantee excellent technical performance, including ease of cleaning, greater resistance to mechanical stresses and weathering, and low permeability to liquids and stains.

Pedrali
pedrali.com

Photography by Andrea Garuti

Art Direction by Studio FM Milano

Styling by Studio Salaris