
ESTILUZ Revolta
Revolta, a sculptural pendant light designed by Nahtrang Studio for Estiluz is available as either an open design where framed circles are sketched in the air, or hold fabric panels that soften sound. Revolta is a highly adaptable decorative lighting solution that can dampen sound or visual divide up a space.
estiluz.com
Has any nation’s design industry been spared the economic carnage of the COVID-19 pandemic? Probably not. But despite the shutdown orders, temporary factory closures, and a precipitous drop in demand as some projects are put on hold, design brands in Spain are open for business, with products available for specification, especially here in the United States.
The pandemic has been a particularly cruel twist for Spanish design brands. After weathering the financial crisis of 2008 and the ensuing sovereign debt crisis, both of which hit Spain’s economy hard, the country was finally on the rebound when countries around the world began locking down this spring. “It’s a real slap in the face,” says Carlos Galtier, the director of Interiors from Spain, a promotional department of the Trade Commission of Spain in New York.
Despite the uncertainty of our moment, many Spanish brands are still able to make products available here in the US, in part because of how they responded to the last crisis. When Spain was hurting particularly hard, the nation’s high-end interiors brands explored new markets, especially in North America, where many expanded, open- ing showrooms, warehouses, and subsidiary brands. In the last ten years the Spanish design presence in the US market has doubled, according to Spanish trade commissioner Bruno Fernandez Scrimieri. In some sectors, such as lighting and tile, growth has been even stronger; Spanish tile exports to the U.S. have quintupled in value over the last ten years.
“Passengers are not allowed to travel internationally, but cargo is moving,” says the commissioner. “However, it’s slower and we have seen a steep increase in shipping costs.” Brands that have U.S. warehouses are stocked with enough product to last several months with minimal disruption. A common refrain among Spanish design brands right now is that virtually everything in their catalogues is still available, and the real problem is getting projects started up again so designers can start specifying and ordering product.
“Our factory in Barcelona has kept shipping containers continuously to our US location and we have been shipping out orders to our customers in the U.S. and Canada daily during the last couple months,” says Miquel Colet, CEO of Vibia lighting’s North American subsidiary.

KETTAL Band
A chair made up of repetitive angular shapes that give center stage to its raw materials, Band, by Patricia Urquiola, is available in aluminum or teak. The collection challenges the classic sophisticated lines of furniture design, creating a conceptual program based on the breakdown of structure.
kettal.com
Albert Grabulosa, executive vice president at lighting manufacturer Estiluz USA, reports a similar situation: “Other than our New York showroom, which has been closed, everything else has been working normally. We still keep a substantial inventory in New Jersey and all our products are available for purchase at standard lead times if not in stock.”
Although many companies are fully operational and able to take orders, the future is murky. “The long-term implications and effects of COVID-19 are still unknown. The coronavirus is first and foremost a human tragedy. The way we work, and the patterns of personal interaction have changed,” says Esther Boluda, a communications officer at furniture-maker Expormim.
The Spanish design industry is no stranger to adversity, but this crisis feels different from the last one. Industry leaders predict it will be more like a temporary downturn than a prolonged contraction, and there’s hope that business will bounce back. When it comes to historical precedent, instead of looking back 10 or 12 years, we may do better to look back 100, when the misleadingly named “Spanish Flu” was followed by the “Roaring Twenties,” a time of extraordinary creative energy and economic growth. If a similar millennial design renaissance is in the offing, Spanish designers and manufacturers will be ready.
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ACTIU
Bend
Bend soft seating allows you to create comfortable and informal meeting points throughout an office setting, helping to foster communication and connection among employees. Designed by Stone Designs, Bend’s neutral appearance and modular structure mean that Bend works well in a wide variety of settings.
ACTIU
Bend
Bend soft seating allows you to create comfortable and informal meeting points throughout an office setting, helping to foster communication and connection among employees. Designed by Stone Designs, Bend’s neutral appearance and modular structure mean that Bend works well in a wide variety of settings.
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VIBIA
Puck Wall Art LED
Puck Wall Art, designed by Jordi Vilardell, is a collage of different sized disks, creating a warm, visually sharp and mathematically creative whole. Displayed on their own or grouped together in customized installations, Puck forms a moody mural that pulses with a soft glow.
VIBIA
Puck Wall Art LED
Puck Wall Art, designed by Jordi Vilardell, is a collage of different sized disks, creating a warm, visually sharp and mathematically creative whole. Displayed on their own or grouped together in customized installations, Puck forms a moody mural that pulses with a soft glow.
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POINT
Paralel Collection
Paralel is a collection of 14 pieces of teak wood furniture, designed by Gabriel Teixidó for Point. Including chairs, sofas, tables, and armchairs with contemporary aesthetics and incredible comfort, Paralel is made to connect people with their environment while creating unforgettable memories under the sun and stars.
POINT
Paralel Collection
Paralel is a collection of 14 pieces of teak wood furniture, designed by Gabriel Teixidó for Point. Including chairs, sofas, tables, and armchairs with contemporary aesthetics and incredible comfort, Paralel is made to connect people with their environment while creating unforgettable memories under the sun and stars.
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PARKLEX
Matt Facade
Matt Facade is a stratified, ultra-low maintenance wooden board, that combines the aesthetic benefits of wood with the technical requirements necessary for long-term, optimum outdoor performance. Without sacrificing any of the weather-resistant features, fire safety and versatile use inherent to Parklex® panels, the matt appearance is easier on the eyes.
PARKLEX
Matt Facade
Matt Facade is a stratified, ultra-low maintenance wooden board, that combines the aesthetic benefits of wood with the technical requirements necessary for long-term, optimum outdoor performance. Without sacrificing any of the weather-resistant features, fire safety and versatile use inherent to Parklex® panels, the matt appearance is easier on the eyes.
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MARSET
Ginger
Marset’s beloved Ginger series designed by Joan Gaspar is now available in a brushed brass finish. The warm metallic shade creates an atmosphere of refined elegance.
MARSET
Ginger
Marset’s beloved Ginger series designed by Joan Gaspar is now available in a brushed brass finish. The warm metallic shade creates an atmosphere of refined elegance.
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KRISKADECOR
Gradient Collection
Create subtle space dividers or wallcoverings with the Gradient Collection of designs designed by Luis Eslava. These vibrant patterns were inspired by the transitions that appear between two pure colors, like the many shades of grey found between white and black.
KRISKADECOR
Gradient Collection
Create subtle space dividers or wallcoverings with the Gradient Collection of designs designed by Luis Eslava. These vibrant patterns were inspired by the transitions that appear between two pure colors, like the many shades of grey found between white and black.
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EXPORMIM
Armadillo
The multidisciplinary design team at MUT design developed Armadillo as a contemporary take on the Papasan chair. This radically free and wonderfully postmodern interpretation of the rattan classic is made by hand in Valencia.
EXPORMIM
Armadillo
The multidisciplinary design team at MUT design developed Armadillo as a contemporary take on the Papasan chair. This radically free and wonderfully postmodern interpretation of the rattan classic is made by hand in Valencia.
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NATURTEX
Tatami Print Shoji Collection
Tatami Print rugs from Naturtex are made of 100% natural wood fiber and highly customizable. These rugs provide the flexibility to print any design imaginable. The Shoji Collection, designed by PerezOchando Studio, is inspired by traditional Japanese homes.
NATURTEX
Tatami Print Shoji Collection
Tatami Print rugs from Naturtex are made of 100% natural wood fiber and highly customizable. These rugs provide the flexibility to print any design imaginable. The Shoji Collection, designed by PerezOchando Studio, is inspired by traditional Japanese homes.
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ANDREU WORLD
Status Conference Table
The Status series of meeting tables are characterized by broad flexibility and adaptability. Available in a range of tabletop materials, the tables are designed with a user-friendly sculptural base that is also technology-enabled.
ANDREU WORLD
Status Conference Table
The Status series of meeting tables are characterized by broad flexibility and adaptability. Available in a range of tabletop materials, the tables are designed with a user-friendly sculptural base that is also technology-enabled.
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ROCA
St. Tropez
The bold colors and handmade feel of St. Tropez ceramic wall tiles add a dose of Mediterranean style to any space.
ROCA
St. Tropez
The bold colors and handmade feel of St. Tropez ceramic wall tiles add a dose of Mediterranean style to any space.
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SANTA & COLE Tekio
Working with the best artisans from Japan, Santa & Cole combined traditional processes, quality materials and the latest technologies to create Tekio, a fixture inspired by Chochin, the traditional Japanese paper lantern. Designed by Anthony Dickens, Tekio capitalizes on paper’s delicacy and flexibility, filtering and tinting light to create a warm and sophisticated ambiance.
SANTA & COLE Tekio
Working with the best artisans from Japan, Santa & Cole combined traditional processes, quality materials and the latest technologies to create Tekio, a fixture inspired by Chochin, the traditional Japanese paper lantern. Designed by Anthony Dickens, Tekio capitalizes on paper’s delicacy and flexibility, filtering and tinting light to create a warm and sophisticated ambiance.