Emotional Aesthetics: Acquerello by Paolo Castelli

Acquerello is the newest 2024 collection by Paolo Castelli, a true ode to the whispered dialogue between form and colour and to the pure freedom of expression.

A symphony of delicate balances between proportions, imagination, and research. A harmony of materials, finishes, and precious essences that spontaneously finds its place in spaces pervaded by naturalistic intimism, in settings suspended between dream and reality.

“A photograph to me is always a reminder of how the person was on a certain day in that certain light fixed. When I look at a watercolour that same person, it seems to me alive, more open that a photograph.”
Francesco Clemente

Indoor and outdoor furniture as well as lighting systems designed and conceived to trace an idea of beauty in a tale made of signs and objects, symbols, and simple rituals. Original and refined, the handcrafted soul of the furnishings undermines the modernist language, aimed almost exclusively at functionality, by virtue of an emotional and decorative aesthetic, thus inviting our mind to travel and to freely imagine an elsewhere place.

“Watercolors represent ‘freshness’ to me. I think of their lightness and the essential presence of natural elements, with their aesthetic and chromatic potential. It is from these premises that the Acquerello collection was born, where each piece of furniture paints a picture suspended between ethereal elegance and a deep connection with nature. It shapes a space that goes beyond the concept of mere domestic refuge, transforming itself into a series of settings ready to be experienced and discovered.”
Paolo Castelli

Paolo Castelli celebrates the artisanal and decorative essence of unique furnishings, born from the traditional craftsmanship of yesteryears and the successful integration of artisanal tradition with innovative industrial processes. These strengths have enabled the company to establish itself as a benchmark in the realm of Made in Italy excellence.

INDOOR

GIANO (CHAIR)

Comfort and ergonomics combine in a graphic play of dynamic lines, renewing a piece of furniture capable of enhancing environments defined by timeless aesthetics by means of shapes and minute details. Inspired by the ancient myth of the two-faced deity, the Giano chair represents a classic seat with a wooden frame defined by the apparent meeting of the two back legs in the central section, which extend towards the seatback to determine its perfect split into two twin elements.

In addition to the distinctive design of the seatback, Giano’s dual essence is revealed in its two versions, available with Walnut or Black stained ash wood frame. Both seat and backseat are upholstered and covered with a wide selection of indoor fabrics present in our catalogue.

CRUDELIA (CHAIR)

A seat featuring an irreverent and provocative design in every detail. Crudelia imposes itself on the domestic scene with the boldness of its forms and the irony it manifests in its essence. A contemporary seat for those who wish to watch over the sacred sanctuary of their home from a privileged position.

A throne that is composed of a few simple elements: an ascending cone develops from the ground, incorporating the soft seat cushion and acquiring the function of a backrest; intersecting with them are the two front legs, cylindrical in shape, made of solid ash wood stained in open pore Black and finished at the apex with the inclusion of precious brass discs laser-engraved to reproduce the two hemispheres of the globe.

The two cylindric-shaped front legs are made of solid, black-stained, open-pored ash wood, while its apexes feature a finish including precious laser-etched brass hemispheres. Both seat and backseat are upholstered with indoor fabrics. Nonconformist and liberating, Crudelia is a contemporary seat that spreads energy in any setting it is placed.

FENPEI (MODULAR SOFA – COFFE TABLES)

A new way of experiencing conviviality that mirrors the most dynamic interpretations of space, in full awareness of the continuous evolutions taking place in the world of furniture. Fenpei furnishes rooms with fine workmanship and the boldness of a flexible system composed of modules that transform into soft and welcoming islands of luxury.

Each module is defined by an off-center seam that results in the splitting of the seat and seatback into two sections with contrasting colours, thus creating a colour play having strong graphic impact. Seats and backseats merge into an easily modular solution composed of soft, padded elements made of differentiated-density polyurethane wrapped in a microfiber staple plumette that alternate between the four available seat and two seatback variations.

The counterweighted backseats can be positioned freely or anchored to the seats thanks to a functional and refined bamboo frog that sets the four seatbacks by hooking onto a leather lace placed on the seat. The metal base, featuring matt Bronze Shadow epoxy finish, supports the overall volume, thus highlighting once again the incredible feeling of lightness. A balance that ensures maximum comfort and adapts to any environment, be it classic or contemporary.

The Fenpei family is completed by the rectangular coffee tables, decorative and multifunctional objects that offer an asymmetrical alternation of essential forms. Full and empty volumes supported by the same metal base as the sofa featuring a matt Bronze Shadow finish. Made of Dark Olive or Light Olive hand-brushed ash plywood, these tables are designed to emphasize a geometric harmony of perfectly balanced contrasts.

Offered in two sizes, they prove to be versatile and functional furniture designed for a philosophy of living that fully embraces the complexity of everyday interactions.

ELEGANCE SOFT (SOFA)

The Elegance Soft sofa renews its forms, thus presenting itself as a new contemporary stage devoted to pure conviviality. A floor-standing, cozy and soft sofa featuring sculpted forms, defined by a linear and relaxed style.

The balanced proportions and rigorous geometry of the upholstered structure greet generous seat cushions, low backseats and full-length armrests, upholstered in differentiated density polyurethane wrapped in a microfiber staple plumette, which offers the comfort of a seating system with soft, simple, and extremely welcoming shapes. Its base is made of wood covered in Bronze laminated leather as opposed to its feet made of matt Black stained beech.

Featuring new size, proportions, and depth of seating to achieve a more classic result, this sofa is at the same time capable of offering versatile furnishing solutions keeping up with the changing needs of the world of living.

DIONE DARK (TABLE – COFFEE TABLES)

The Dione family wears new finishes that lend elegance and contemporaneity to its monolithic structure, thus blending the statuesque purity of granite and ceramic in a symphony of shapes and materials enhanced by the universal expressiveness of the total-dark look. 

Dione Dark is an unprecedented proposal consisting 



of a main table and small tables composed of a handcrafted, ceramic, bell-shaped base featuring a glossy Charcoal Grey glazed ribbed finish, an effect contrasting with its circular top made of polished Sahara Bronze marble and embellished with a central brass inlay work. Dione Dark offers a visual and tactile experience that enriches any room by boldly focusing on the timeless appeal of dark colours, its sculptural silhouette, and the play of incisive contrasts between glossy and matt finishes.

NUCLEO (TABLE –LOUNGE TABLES – CONSOLE)

Nucleo celebrates the pure naturalness of forms and materials, thus offering solutions that favour biomorphic fashions, perfect in their imperfection. Main table, lounge table, and console, skilfully crafted by expert artisan hands in an aesthetic balance of balanced volumes, are enhanced by dynamic shapes and materials featuring strong character.

The main table and the console are defined by a sculptural silhouette created through the decorative and structural use of Dolomia, a local natural stone which represents an identity symbol of the Italian mountains. The limestone brilliance of the mineral is complemented by the supporting structure in Calamine or Bronze Shadow matt metal finish, visible through the sections that characterize the aesthetic research of its legs, supporting the top through an asymmetric and unexpected rhythm. 

In the lounge table, wood and metal complement each other, creating a harmonious ensemble with a strong visual identity. The tabletop, with its irregular shape, and the legs are made of ash wood covered with a glossy lacquered finish, contrasting with the visible metal sections in the base. The result is an evocation of the complex simplicity that gracefully accompanies conviviality, actions, and relationships drawn around the table.

ILLUSIO (SUSPENSION LAMP – WALL LAMP)

Illusio evokes mystery and magic by completely transforming the perception of space. A modular lighting system, either hanging or wall lamp, formed by seven brass branches, five of which accommodate the LED light source, thus creating a reassuring nest of light capable of illuminating interiors with a rhythmic play of light lines. A family of elements with a strong character, capable of outlining dynamic light landscapes, animated by unexpected and suggestive shadow plays.

LABILIS MEGA RING (SUSPENSION LAMP)

A new graphic alphabet made of essential geometric elements that draw contemporary forms of light in space. The Labilis family welcomes Labilis Mega Ring, a suspension lighting system characterized by extremely generous dimensions harmoniously contrasting with its essential profile. The main metal ring, featuring matt Black finish with perimeter White opal polycarbonate LED light diffuser, is embellished with four brass spots in brass Bronze matt finish.

GONG (DECORATIVE OBJECT)

A majestic decorative wall object featuring a diameter of 2 meters. With Gong, the visual impact of crystalline material and formal rigor come together in an object magnetically appealing. A parabola of cast silvered glass featuring a hammered effect that celebrates fluidity and the relationship between light and matter through the undulations impressed in the surface. A fluid object with an enigmatic soul forged by fire, it is available in two variants, Bronze and Silver.

OUTDOOR

FENPEI OUTDOOR (MODULAR SOFA)

Aesthetics blends with functionality, thus creating the perfect marriage of form and nature through a harmonious synthesis of “inside” and “outside.” 

Fenpei Outdoor furnishes also outdoor spaces with fine 


workmanship and the boldness of a flexible system composed of modules that transform into soft, cozy islands of luxury. Each module is defined by an off-center seam that results in the splitting of the seat and backseats into two sections featuring contrasting colours, thus creating a colour play with a strong graphic impact.

Seats and backrests merge into an easily modular solution consisting of soft elements, upholstered
in differentiated-density polyurethane wrapped in a microfiber staple plumette and covered in water-repellent canvas, which alternate between the four seats and two backseats variants available. The counterweighted backseats can be positioned freely or anchored to the seats thanks to a functional and refined bamboo frog that sets the four backseats by hooking onto a leather lace placed on the seat.

The metal base, featuring matt Bronze Shadow epoxy finish, supports the overall volume, thus highlighting once again the incredible feeling of lightness. A balance that ensures maximum comfort and adapts to any environment, be it classic or contemporary, indoor or outdoor.

KENYA OUTDOOR (TABLE – COFFEE TABLES – CONSOLE)

The Kenya Outdoor furniture family introduces a new stage for outdoor sharing. A proposal composed of main table, side tables, and console featuring a strong architectural character, it represents a complete and versatile solution that furnishes with character living and dining spaces en plein air.

The subtracted volumes defining the structure of each element combine with the rectangular table top, thus giving the collection an unusual appearance that pays homage to asymmetry. The textural encounter between its high-density polyurethane legs framed in stainless steel and covered with a mixture of travertine, and its top, made in White or Red travertine, characterize each element through the imperfect beauty of natural stone. Irregularly textured surfaces define this dynamic solution, thus evoking natural and pristine landscapes with immedi

HAIBU (SUSPENSION LAMP)

Cutting-edge technology and natural-flavoured materials are the key elements that define Haibu, an innovative project featuring light, 3D printing, and the functional versatility of stoneware. For the first time used in the luxury furniture sector in this capacity, stoneware is shaped by an innovative 3D printing process, giving rise to outdoor lanterns that welcome in their warm and reassuring light.

As the material is printed and dried, it spontaneously falls back on itself, thus creating a pattern of slits that allow gentle beams of light to escape. The refined design then blends with the intrinsic properties of the material in a durable lighting system that invites to experience moments of relaxation in the open air. This suspension lamp is available in two versions, either more elongated and taper-shaped or lower and wider.

U OUTDOOR (CHAIR)

The U chair conquers new stages by presenting itself as an ideal support for compound relaxation even outdoors. Its comfort is defined by a seat with accentuated depth and a slight slope, by virtue of a simple yet sophisticated language. Its structure, light to the eye yet solid in function in painted steel with outdoor finishes, supports seat and backseat in EVA leatherette available in two colours, Brick and Cream. The perfect compositional synthesis of U Outdoor offers wide versatility in use, allowing any type of space to be revisited in a contemporary way.

PAOLO CASTELLI

Paolo Castelli S.p.A is a leading Italian company in the design and global contracting sector at a national and international level. Born from an intuition of Paolo Castelli, the company has been able to combine tradition and innovation by creating ever-present “total lookindoor and outdoor collections able to describe the contemporaneity, anticipating trends and responding to market requests. Paolo Castelli S.p.A is able to satisfy the needs of designers and the wishes of the end customer by offering custom made solutions developed around the concepts of excellence and high quality: a dynamic vision that has led the Italian company to become the ideal partner for ambitious projects contract all over the world.

PAOLO CASTELLI

Emotional Aesthetics: Acquerello by Paolo Castelli

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