Mediterraneanism In Color at Andreu World

Architecture and design firms and interior furnishings companies have been eager to maintain a dialogue with their customers as the COVID-19 pandemic continues course. A constant string of work-from-home related guides and webinars have crowded our inboxes, and they certainly offer a wealth of helpful tips to those taking up a semi-permanent post at their dining room table during the work day.

What we’ve found especially compelling during this strange time, though, is the knowledge-based offerings that some firms and companies are putting together to offer us an escape from the near-deafening noise of coronavirus-related content. Just as our temporarily closed retail and dining establishments are taking this time to revamp brick-and-mortar spaces, boost their online presence, and make other improvements to their businesses, so too are some in the workplace interiors community.

Last week, we tuned into “Mediterraneanism in Color”, a webinar presentation by Andreu World, created in collaboration “with the master hand of Giulio Ridolfo, one of the most prestigious international experts in the selection of colors, materials and finishes, with whom we have worked around different chromatic shades that are condensed through his testimony and different images that synthesize the color seen by Andreu World as an element defining our style and feeding on our Mediterranean culture.”

The presentation not only provided a window into a few of the creative minds at Andreu World, but also gave attendees an opportunity to learn about how this company interacts with color, as well as the Mediterranean region’s relationship to color. The presentation, delivered by Sergio Chismol and moderated by Daniel Griñan, was well-worth the time and a great example of fresh, valuable content that has a teaching element while deepening a connection with their brand.

“These are the colors which define our company,” said Mr. Chismol. “And these colors speak directly to our geographical region of the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean is an attitude to life. Each and all of these colors fits our visual and emotional culture. They represent movement, passion and intensity.”

Next week, we reprint Mr. Ridolfo’s musings on each of the 12 colors that define the Andreu World brand – whites, yellows, reds, oranges, sands, greens, blues, blacks, non-blacks, earths, stones, and woods. Below, you’ll find a series of attendee questions posed during the presentation followed by Mr. Chismol’s responses.

At the presentation’s beginning, Mr. Chismol noted Andreu World’s attention to choosing what is important to express with color.

“Intuition is very important in considering color. How a person experiences color can be very different from how someone else experiences color. It is our goal to connect color with the life experiences of people, to be able to create emotional connections within a space through the use of color.”

>Question: What is the currency, or longevity of these colors? How do you make colors last throughout the years?

Sergio Chismol: “We strive for a timeless concept in everything we do, and of course the colors we choose to use are the same. Our colors are linked to people, and are versatile enough to be used to create many combinations. They are timeless, subtle, and sophisticated.”

>Question: How can you play with these colors to change the visual effect?

Sergio Chismol: “Using color is often about intuition. There is no book of rules. It’s the light, the shapes, the space, and the people within the space that can inform everything. We can combine bold hues with more neutral, secure colors.”

>Question: Are there any colors under consideration for adding to your story?

Sergio Chismol: “These are the 12 colors that represent our culture. We are open to enriching our selection of colors, and it would be nice to develop a second evolution of another 12 colors.”

>Question: How do you combine colors in an interior palette? How many colors do you use, and what is the process like?

Sergio Chismol: “In showrooms and fair booths, we create mood boards for each color, and then use those as a way to play with palettes. We begin to find links between colors – for example, finding ways to weave two different colors, like red and green, together, creating connections within the space.”

>Question: Have you found global colors that speak across the world, versus regional colors?

Sergio Chismol: “We live in a global world, and we are now connected in ways we weren’t before. We have the ability to share between cultures, unlike in the past, when regions and cultures were extremely distinct. But, cultural traditions of specific regions are still in place. For example, African nations use very bold colors – they like the energy of bold colors more than many other regions of the world.”

>Question: How do you align colors with those of the textile industry? How do you understand and respond to their movements?

Sergio Chismol: “We understand we need to be partners with those in the textile industry. We need to be aware of new fabric designs and technologies, and we need to adapt with that market. But, there are thousands of new fabrics and colors and designs, and so we simply use this information as a guide.”

>Question: Do you have a Color of the Year?

Sergio Chismol: “In our experience and in our work, there is no one color, especially not for a year. We have very natural colors that relate to our lives and our culture. If we had to choose our color of the year, it would be wood, because it is so important to our culture.”

>Question: What is the most important color to Andreu World?

Sergio Chismol: “Wood is the soul, the spirit, the identity of Andreu World. It is soft, natural, and the most representative color of our brand. It is our core material, the material that started everything for our company 65 years ago.

>Question: Time spent at home is rising. How might color choices be impacted by this?

Sergio Chismol: “All of this time we are spending at home will change our perception of color. We might be bringing more energy into the home, which is usually a place of rest. Our connection to home will change – will we be asking more of our homes?”