Materia Collection founder Yana Pojidaeva addresses designers in the new showroom.
It was one of those late February days that promises warmer ones will be coming soon. But the atmosphere was cozy in the splendid new Manhattan home of Materia Collection. Materia team member Lucia Romana was spinning upbeat-yet-chill tunes as a sumptuous spread from Mangia was arrated on a stunning custom mixed-material table. It’s the kind of furnishing for which people seek out Materia.
The table—like the rest of the new Materia showroom space—is alive with texture. Here, a long shelf displays squares of extraordinary finishes, which might end up cladding anything from a statement wall to a credenza. There, an intriguing cylindrical cabinet opens to reveal dramatically lit contents. An effervescence of circles seems to float up one nearby wall. Meanwhile in a far corner, a piece of sculpture holds its chin in its hands in thought, as though waiting patiently for the afternoon to begin.
Designers Arrive at the New Materia Showroom
The sculpture did not have long to wait. The invited guests—designers all—arrived to share lunch while experiencing the showroom. Team members from Materia and aspire offered greetings as the designers immediately began to admire the Materia Collection pieces on display. Aspire’s own Paul Hagen addressed the assembled, recalling the publication’s guiding mission: seeking the sublime. So, in preparing for the luncheon, he’d been considering what is sublime about Materia.
Hagen pointed to Materia’s contributions to the sublime design of Buddha Bar Restaurant New York—where Materia worked with YOD Design Lab—providing wall panels in addition to other bespoke touches. He noted that Materia’s choice to source luxurious panels, doors, furnishings and more from Italy carries on a tradition that dates back to the Renaissance. And he noted the transcendent human story behind Materia’ journey: founder Yana Pojidaeva’s dream of helping people live more beautifully being realized in the form of a thriving business with showrooms in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida, and now New York City.
Materia’s Founder Discusses the Company’s Evolution
Pojidaeva—looking chic in red—addressed her design-minded guests with genuine warmth. She recalled how Materia had its roots in her work on ITALdoors, a company that specialized in sourcing and keeping an impressive stateside stock of high end Italian doors, hardware and hinges. As clients came to trust those products, they began to ask about others. Could Pojidaeva help them find paneling? Millwork? Custom pieces?
So in 2016, Pojidaeva founded Materia to provide for those clients and—eventually—whole new sectors of design community, as well. Even as they found success with their Miami-area location, Pojidaeva had her eye on opening a showroom in New York City. But the city that never sleeps famously charges a premium for that space amidst that non-stop energy. So Pojidaeva chose to start with a more modestly-sized Materia outpost, albeit one located on NYC’s world-famous Fifth Avenue a few blocks north of Madison Square Park.
“New York is new, but I think we are going to fit in,” said Yana Pojidaeva. Though she admits that the location in Miami is much bigger, Pojidaeva understood that establishing a presence in New York was more important than investing in sheer square-footage. “We call it a sample showroom.” says Pojidaeva. “But it’s still a place for designers to come, touch the product, see the finishes.”
Why to See New York’s Materia Showroom
Pojidaeva is enthusiastic about the location—noting other design-related businesses in the building include experts in textiles, contracting, and landscaping. However, the charms of the Materia showroom in and of itself should prove a draw for designers. Though not sprawling, the space seems to contain a universe of inspiration. And, indeed, before saying their farewells, several of the designers express interest in incorporating pieces from Materia Collection into current and future projects. “We’re excited,” says Pojidaeva.
See more of what Materia has to offer by visiting them online, following them on Instagram and looking out for them at Salone del Mobile.
Photography courtesy aspire staff.
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Yana Pojidaeva and aspire editor Paul Hagen