Flaner, a collection that invites you to flâneur*
*flâneur – wandering, strolling, from French flâneur – vagabond, stroller, idler
We chose Provence as the backdrop for the photo shoot featuring Flaner garden furniture. It was here, among olive groves, stone towns and countless shades of green, that designer Maria Jeglińska-Adamczewska worked on the collection. She told us about this work during the session.
What inspired you when designing the Flaner collection? Did you find some inspiration in Provence?
Part of the inspiration for Flaner comes from my childhood and memories of garden furniture that accompanied me in urban spaces. I wanted to give the collection both a natural and urban character.
Provence, although not obvious, turned out to be the perfect source of inspiration – and the backdrop for the photo shoot. The spectacular nature, evergreen landscapes and the famous mistral wind, which moves the crowns of olive trees so that they look like silver, became the inspiration for the characteristic curved leg. And now also a beautiful frame in which Flaner blends into the space while accentuating it. The photos tell a story of how memories, nature and the city can come together in one project.
How was Flaner created?
I started designing with the form, and the story of the collection began with the leg of a chair. It was its line that served as the starting point for the entire furniture family. I spent a long time drawing just this one curve, looking for the right movement, the right line. I filled an entire sketchbook with this one curve, trying to capture the form that became the DNA of the collection. I wanted Flaner to be instantly recognisable.
What came out of this one line? What does the collection consist of?
This gesture gave rise to further elements, i.e. in addition to the chair, also tables, benches, armchairs, coffee tables and side tables (which can also be used as stools). Their common denominator is soft lines and rhythm, which give them lightness and character.
The furniture can be freely combined in public spaces, gardens or home terraces. Their modularity and simplicity make them equally functional in city cafés and private gardens.
What characterises the furniture? What is the message of the collection?
I wanted the furniture to encourage people to stop, sit down and observe. It was meant to be both a tribute to urban tradition and an invitation to contemporary flânerie, wandering and admiring the surroundings.
From an aesthetic point of view, while working on the collection, I focused on the play of light. The shadow cast by the rungs provides an unusual, constantly changing detail, further emphasised by the soft, rhythmic shadow of the legs. The metal furniture is finished with a textured paint that beautifully diffuses light, emphasising its soft geometry.
What about the colours? Did the shades of Provence influence Flaner?
The colour palette – from sage to deeper turquoise shades – was chosen to harmonise with both the greenery of gardens and the urban fabric.
Where did the idea for the name of the collection come from?
The name of the collection is not accidental. ‘Flaner’ refers to the 19th-century figure of the urban observer, known in French as a flâneur, a person who strolls through the city without haste, for pure pleasure.
What impression would you like Flaner to make on its users?
I would like this furniture to be immediately associated with urban space; with parks where you can sit down with a book, or with café terraces that create small, intimate meeting spaces. Let Flaner encourage you to stop, to be here and now, to walk at your own pace.
Discover the Flaner furniture collection inspired by Provence. Create a space for strolling and relaxing – perfect for gardens and urban spaces. Check it out now!
