Vision
Vision
Creativity, innovation and versatility: KINDOF has been forged in the very essence of these three simple concepts, concepts that have become guiding ideas and visions since its inception, and which it consistently and consciously continues to pursue.
Creativity is the cornerstone of KINDOF’s artistic vision: to envision a line of products so completely out of the ordinary and to conceive of a design that is contemporary, airy, hard-wearing, robust and one of a kind. Creativity imbues and embodies the simultaneously artistic and engineering challenge, where the beauty of the design merges with the product’s strength and robustness, stability and durability.
Innovation finds expression in the brilliant and original idea of creating a new line of furniture from a simple but extraordinarily strong material such as steel rods, and its innovative yet artisanal manufacturing process. Steel rods are forged from melted scraps – in itself innovative and a material that is recycled and recyclable – in step with the spirit of sustainability and environmental awareness that KINDOF has made its own.
For KINDOF, versatility is in its DNA, a modus operandi adopted by the company as a guide from the very first. It is also one of the ingredients of each KINDOF piece of furniture. Versatility has allowed KINDOF furniture to become the undisputed leader in contemporary outdoor furniture while also offering a splash of modernity and panache in interior design.
Our inspiration
Jazz
Jazz provides the backdrop to KINDOF’s inception and philosophy. Connoisseurs will recognise KINDOF’s love for jazz in its name, especially the vibrant, multi-faceted sound of the spellbinding trumpet of Miles Davis. Kind of Blue, one of the African-American jazz musician’s best albums, is the soundtrack that inspired Luca and gave him the idea for the company name: Kind of furniture… KINDOF.
A simple, evocative, musical name that represents and conveys a highly unique, artistic, contemporary type of furniture, which is also extremely technical and – like jazz – open to creative improvisation, which is never truly impromptu, but the result of experience, know-how, exceptional skill and expertise.
Art
Colours and lines, air and freedom, and the perfection in imperfection. Art is an inextricable part of Luca’s life and has profoundly inspired the design concept which underpins KINDOF’s products. Not art in general but the – benevolent – influence of precise artistic currents, an influence subtly perceived and sensed in all KINDOF products, reflecting the simple, clean lines of the oriental shodo and western minimalism, the repeating, insistent geometry of Brutalism, the clean, honest functionality of the Bauhaus, and the shapes and materials of Primitivism.
Then there are the KINDOF colours which reference Van Gogh and Matisse, which talk to us of Warhol and which call to mind Hockney, Twombly or Schnabel. Colours that give life and expression to the raw material and the strength of the rusty grey of the steel rod, and which remind us of nature, the earth, the heat of the sun and the depth of the sky.
Innovation
KINDOF originated from a strong innovative impetus. For the company, innovation means above all merging creative spirit and artistic inspiration with a highly technical and expertly crafted approach. This aspect is fundamental to grasp the spirit of the initial idea for the KINDOF products: the innovative use of steel rods as the sole material in the widest possible range of colours. Though remaining faithful to the cold processing technique widely used in the building industry, the manufacturing technique is innovative, introducing the radical novelty of 3D bending and the processing method used by our expert Italian craftsmen has been patented, initially in Italy, Switzerland, and then Europe. The shaping of the ribbed rod perfected by KINDOF makes the most of each rod, bending it in at least three places to make the furniture frame, without needing joints with use other rods. Through this innovative and needless to say complex processing procedure, KINDOF celebrates the natural features of a raw, strong material such as the steel rod, emphasising its resistance, flexibility, functionality and the beauty of the design and finishes.
Sustainability
Sustainability is non-negotiable for KINDOF. Care for the environment, our work ethic and the sustainability of the materials used, the final products and every stage of the processing underpin the company’s philosophy. KINDOF is a classic example of the circular economy, a virtuous practice that gives life and restores life to materials indefinitely.
The material used for the products has been recycled and (after a long time) will again be recycled into new, fully-sustainable materials. The only raw material KINDOF uses – ribbed steel rods – comes from the melting of quality scrap (not from mineral extraction) and the finish uses non-toxic substances that do not harm the environment.
The design and each individual technical step have also been carefully devised to ensure the final product is durable and versatile, ensuring the long life of KINDOF furniture.
Sustainability is a complex concept which is not only care for the environment and nature but also encompasses both the careful vetting of suppliers and respect for workers. Employee wellbeing is very important to KINDOF, which trains its people and values their expertise, creating working conditions worthy of the quality of its product.
Kind of Furniture SO,
Street Ulisse Merini 45, Varese, 21100, Italy
VAT number: 03738410129
Kind of Furniture Sagl, Street Cantonale 8, Mezzovico-Vira, 6805, Svizzera
Productive unit:
Strada provinciale 142, 26867, Somaglia (LO)
Kind of forniture stabile organizzazione - P.IVA 0373841012 - Via Merini 45, Varese
Powered by Sernicola Labs Srl