Just as it sits between burgundy and maroon, so too does Melbourne-based creative practice Articolo Studios situate itself alongside Gucci and Loewe as a design house harnessing the power of the supersaturated, seemingly supernatural, seductive hue that is oxblood. Helmed by Australian designer Nicci Kavals – their recent showcase, aptly titled Accents of Oxblood, marks the studio’s first foray into color, and notably, the release of Rolo, a robust 12-piece lighting collection comprising wall sconces, pendants, and lamps. The survey also highlights some key elements from the new Articolo Home, a furniture collection that debuted this year to great reception.
Left to Right: Rolo Wall Sconce Facing Backward; Large Table Lamp; Slip Stool; Fin Tall Side Table; Fin Short Side Table
“I have always wanted to do color but wasn’t excited because I thought it would take away from the sophistication of the natural materials,” Kavals admits. “However, given its breadth and variation across models, the rich burgundy is very impressive and I’m thrilled with the result.”
Left to Right: Flare Tall Side Table, Rolo Mini Table Lamp; Flare Short and Tall Side Tables; Rolo Wall Sconce Facing Backward
Taking visual cues from 1980’s Milanese design – fused with the precision of haute couture and dignity imbued by hand-construction – Rolo’s rounded light fixtures strut their stuff boasting bold forms and fluid silhouettes that look in vogue as much as they evoke nostalgia for Europe’s future-retro furnishings. Simple geometries are made exquisite through venerable materials including mouth-blown glass in a pale snow finish, sophisticated powder coating options, and fine metal detailing available in brass, mid bronze, and satin nickel.
Rolo Large Table Lamp
What’s more, lamp cords are available in both subtle neutrals as well as the now-signature oxblood tone. The large family of lighting offers options for a variety of home styles and sizes to accommodate interior spaces from the intimate to expansive, and in some cases, even exteriors in need of accentuation. Options are aplenty as Kavals explores 12 permutations with one globe through the stacking, flipping, inverting, and doubling down of form to deliver such solutions.
Left to Right: Rolo Large Table Lamp; Slip Stool; Rolo Medium Table Lamp
In conjunction with Rolo’s release comes Articolo Home, which extends the studio’s atelier-like approach to craft a capsule collection of furnishings. Each highly tailored object encapsulates quality, craftsmanship, and contemporary design – all communicated through tactility.
Left to Right: Rolo Wall Sconce Facing Backward; Rolo Medium Table Lamp
The Slip side table and stool, also available as a simple circular tray, distills a dynamic moment mid-shear as its cylindrical body is sliced at an angle leaving the seat to hang in tension. Flare is equally as elegant but much more industrial in expression. An octagonal base column intersects a flared form of the same kind to create a larger surface exposed upward. Material finish and a multifaceted design conspire when activated by light for a rigid sculpture that has a completely different relationship with its surroundings. The tables from both series will feature the new oxblood leather finish in addition to the existing earthen palette of latte, olive, and camel.
Rolo Mini Table Lamp
In sum, Accents of Oxblood is a significant departure from the comparatively muted quiet luxury and practical chic of the brand’s past, indicating its sultry forward trajectory. “It is a natural progression in Articolo Studios’ evolution,“ Kavals adds. “And one that we’re really excited about launching and adding to in the future.”
Rolo Wall Sconce Facing Forward
Designer Nicci Kavals of Articolo Studios with Slip Stool
To learn more about the latest from Articolo Studios and peruse existing artifacts, visit articolostudios.com.
Photography by Thomas De Bruyne.
