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Champalimaud, Poltrona Frau Team for DIFFA Event
March 16,
2016 by in Designer Weekly 
New York-based design firm Champalimaud and Italian furniture brand Poltrona Frau are collaborating on a contemporary interpretation of “The Urban Explorer,” a showcase that will premiere at the DIFFA Dining By Design event that kicks off tomorrow.
The event runs tomorrow through Sunday.
The display, curated by Champalimaud, will highlight pieces from Poltrona Frau’s collection.
Known for its luxury hospitality projects across the globe, Champalimaud spearheaded the design from a fresh perspective. The firm expressed their creative horizons to present a theatrical interpretation with a collective mission to transform concrete, urban-dwellings to a place of luxury, comfort and allure. Incorporating a prominently glamorous, and feminine touch into what is an overall industrial design, Champalimaud thoughtfully blended a mix of tactile materials and surfaces, including semi-translucent and soft fabrics, lacquered finishes and gold, metallic accents.
Founded in 1912, Poltrona Frau has been refining its expertise in hand-crafted workmanship through time. The heritage of knowledge and skill is captured within each piece of Poltrona Frau furniture. Champalimaud selected a limited edition Bolero table with a Arabescato marble top, a white Carrara marble with dark grey veining and a table base in Canaletto walnut. Two different dining chairs, the Montera and DU30, will surround the table, along with additional seating provided by the Hudson stool, from New York designer Virginia Harper; her first design for Poltrona Frau. To the side of the dining table is the Isidoro an elegant drinks cabinet which opens like a book.
The showcase marks Champalimaud and Poltrona Frau’s first year participating in DIFFA.
“Our work and design for DIFFA was a very special opportunity for our firm to express our creative breadth,” said Alexandra Champalimaud, founder and principal designer at Champalimaud. “We are so pleased to be working with highly-esteemed and like-minded brands such as Poltrona Frau on such a unique showcase, collectively combining our synergies and understanding of luxury interiors to present what is a modern and urban interpretation of glamour.”
“Poltrona Frau is pleased to work with the talented and respected Alexandra Champalimaud; the result, of which, coherently represents the hallmarks of both parties,” said Federico Materazzi, executive vice president of Poltrona Frau Group Americas. “DIFFA is one of the design community’s most creative and inventive showcases that will allow Poltrona Frau a great chance to display its elegant design aesthetic and continually evolving approach to luxury living.”