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Not only serving the tourist population, Bali Island is also known to have talented artists including craftsmen and sculptors.

When you take a walk in Seminyak or Ubud you can see many unique artwork and handicraft stores, as well as furniture stores that offer distinctive designs both modern and traditional, making them look different from furniture designs from any other city or country.

Bali is the hub for introducing artwork and crafts from many different areas in Indonesia, and apart from that this island is also known to have talented artists including craftsmen and sculptors. Not only serving the tourist population, this island is also known as a place to source and buy things to be exported overseas, for private usage or even for commercial purposes. Many international brands have their production within Indonesia, as well as in Bali, including our guest Carlo Pessina. Carlo is not a stranger in the furniture industry. He is known for his cutting edge designs in furniture and accessories, typified by an innovative fusion of natural materials, and his products are mostly found in prestigious hotels, spas, resorts, yachts and homes of people who have a passion for the beautiful and the unique.

Visiting Carlo’s showroom in Sanur we could immediately see the love of the owner of this brand for Indonesia. Carlo names his collections using Indonesian island names such as Alor, Lombok, Tidore, Aru, Natuna, Nias, Ternate, and others. These names are also used worldwide, as they distribute the products to many countries. Carlo loved these names and so he made the decision many years ago to name his collection by Indonesian island names. “They are both unique and beautiful,” he said. Coming all the way from Italy 30 years ago, he got inspired by this country so he decided to stay in Bali and make the brand go international. This year he is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Carlo is famous for his innovative fusion of natural and exotic tropical materials in ways never before envisaged. He has keen eyes looking around and searching for alternative ways to use materials that nobody has used yet in that way. He has been a constant pioneer in the use of natural sustainable materials, pushing the limits of creativity and innovation in ways never conceived before. Carlo has been described as a ‘visionary’ and his designs are ‘strikingly original’ and ‘daring’. Innovative yet versatile, his work is the perfect balance of art and function.

He pioneered the use of coconut shell as a unique finishing for his designs, and has since gone on to incorporate a variety of other distinctive natural materials such as mother-of-pearl, sea penshell, bark from trees, bamboo, rattan and terrazzo.

The materials are obtained from all over Indonesia, as the company has their own research team for the procurement of these materials. Their goal is to use local materials in a very luxurious way. They also use the principle of recycling and reuse, such as the use of coconut shell that had never occurred to people before and just thrown away, or residual wood shaving waste. The materials are then sent to their factory in Tabanan.

A significant part of this success lies in Carlo’s uncompromising dedication to quality and durability. Throughout the manufacturing process, whether for the completion of a standard item or a customized piece, his highly skilled artisans excel, using a set of strict quality control guidelines. Only materials of the highest standards are selected, not only for the visible surfaces but also for the unseen components such as the substrates, adhesives, fittings and fastenings. Each piece is individually crafted and hand-finished by highly experienced and dedicated artisans, making each of his creations both precious and strong.

Actively collaborating to create new designs, materials and finishes, Carlo encourages designers and architects to bring creative ideas to reality and manufacture exclusive with exceptional solutions for a wide range of furnishing needs within the hospitality industry.

During our visit, we saw something that immediately grabbed our attention, a chest of drawers and low credenza using a batik pattern, part of the Penida collection. For Indonesians, this is something remarkable knowing that there is an Italian designer using part of our culture in one of his works. Not only batik, we also caught a glimpse of an ikat motif as one of their patterns block, which has not been realized into furniture yet. 

“Indonesia has so many different and beautiful patterns that become good inspiration to explore the local patterns.
I think the important thing is to find a way to use them in an innovative way. And I am actually working on it!” said Carlo, when we asked him whether he’s going to use more Indonesian ethnic patterns for his future creations.

Anna Gutierrez, who heads up design and marketing department as well as is Carlo’s wife, said that they not only sell finished products but are ready to help with customized designs that customers want. They are ready to discuss and brainstorm together to meet their customer’s satisfaction.

With his Italian background, but inspired a lot from Indonesia particularly from Bali, Carlo’s creations are East Meets West. About his work, Carlo admitted he prefers to explore a contemporary approach for his designs. Nevertheless,
he thinks that from the decorative point of view traditional furniture can coexist well with edgy designs.

Nothing much has changed after 25 years of work; he just keeps doing what he has been doing. But again for Carlo, there is one thing that he would like to accomplish every time he creates a new product; the final result of products that are timeless and iconic. Something that comes from nature, but finished with a touch of something luxurious.

Text by Devishanty


Carlo Innovative Furnishing
Jl. Danau Poso 22, Sanur
(0361) 285-211, www.carloshowroom.com



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Posted by » Bali and Beyond Magazine