Leyden Lewis Gets Fancy With Florense In The Galerie House Of Art And Design

Florense is a Brazilian company with an Italian heritage. At Florense, state-of-the-art technology and craftsmanship operate hand in hand to produce furniture of impeccable quality. As a leader in the international design community, Florense is proud to employ ecologically conscious production processes. Florense has mastered industrial fabrication and yet is able to customize each project as if made by an artisanal cabinetmaker. It offers flexibility in dimensions, materials and hundreds of finishes. The “fatto a mano” (handmade) culture has been present since the foundation of the company in 1953 and that is the culture that drives Florense to make each project truly unique. All this makes Florense one of the world players in its field and justifies its acquired credibility for fine furniture.

Interior designer Leyden Lewis caught up with aspire design and home for this year’s fall issue, to discuss Florense and his work with the brand in the 2021 Galerie House of Art and Design.

aspire design and home: Leyden, we learned that you had the opportunity to work with Florense on a recent project for Galerie magazine. Can you first tell us a bit about your design studio?
Leyden Lewis: For the past twenty-seven years, Leyden Lewis Design Studio has worked as a full-service design firm, creating experiences in private residential projects as well as multi-dwelling buildings for real estate developers, commercial spaces, and institutional projects. Our studio is a multi-disciplinary practice that incorporates design, architecture, and art.

ADH: How did you first learn about Florense?
LL: Florense has been on our radar for a while. I have been familiar with their products but didn’t have the occasion to use them. When the opportunity arrived to partner with them for this year’s inaugural Galerie House of Art and Design, it was a natural fit.

ADH: What did you love about working with Florense?
LL: This was our maiden voyage incorporating Florense into one of our projects. When we started designing the pool house dining lounge and kitchenette for the Galerie showhouse, we knew that we needed to celebrate some special features. I immediately fell in love with the variety in texture, colors and finishes that the company offers. We wanted the design and the collection of materials to complement each other. It was important to feature natural beauty in reaction to the surrounding saturation of natural light and the lush landscape.

ADH: What was the Florense system you chose for your showhouse space? What drew you to it?
LL: When researching, we fell in love with Florense’s integrated and seamless design, especially the kitchen island unit, the f53 Gourmet Counter. We instantly knew it would anchor our space with a sculptural yet functional element.

ADH: What other systems from Florense are you hoping to incorporate in projects down the line?
LL: The FloWall closet system was used in the changing room in our showhouse space, and in the most delicious color, Lemonade. The closet system is so beautifully detailed we look forward to incorporating it again into one of our upcoming residential design projects.

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aspire design and home is seeker and storyteller of the sublime in living. It is a global guide to in-depth and varied views of beauty and shelter that stirs imagination; that delights and inspires homeowners as well as art and design doyens. Collaborating with emergent and eminent architects, artisans, designers, developers and tastemakers, aspire creates captivating content that savors the subjects and transports with stunning imagery and clever, thought-provoking writing. Through lush and unique visuals and a fresh editorial lens, aspire explores what is new and undiscovered in art, interiors, design, culture, real estate, travel and more. aspire design and home is an international narrative and resource for all seeking the sublime.