Spain has been playing in the Champions League of international outdoor furniture design for years. Two firms stand out in particular: Gandía Blasco and Kettal, both now global benchmarks in the sector.
Alongside brands such as Expormim, Point and Vondom, the latter leaning more towards statement designer pieces, Gandía Blasco and Kettal occupy a particularly strong position within the international high-end outdoor market. Both began as family businesses: Kettal in Catalonia in the 1960s, Gandía Blasco in Valencia in the 1980s.
Premium brands, and the Spanish firms are no exception, work with an international roster of designers, some collaborating on individual collections, others becoming long-term creative partners closely associated with the identity of the brand itself. Their collections are launched almost like architectural projects, with the designer’s signature taking centre stage. This helps explain both the remarkable aesthetic breadth of their catalogues and their relative independence from seasonal trends. More than simply following fashion, these brands have spent years setting the agenda for contemporary outdoor design.
Dunne, Gandía Blasco’s new collection designed by Japanese designer Nao Tamura, takes inspiration from the shifting curves of dunes and the textures sculpted by wind and water. Across sofas, armchairs and tables in recyclable aluminium, the range explores an organic, sculptural aesthetic while balancing technical precision, softness of form and comfort. The collection reinforces the idea of the outdoors as a natural extension of sophisticated interior living.
The Cord collection, created by Danish designers at Groundwork Studio, draws on both the Scandinavian tradition of paper cord and Mediterranean wickerwork. It features exceptionally light, minimalist structures in satin stainless steel and outdoor polyester rope. The result is ergonomic furniture with refined lines, visual lightness and a timeless quality.
Meanwhile, Kettal marks its sixtieth anniversary with a heightened presence at Milan Design Week, where the Ínsula collection by long-time creative collaborator Patricia Urquiola has emerged as one of the season’s standout launches. Urquiola conceives the table almost as a sculptural object, with materials, finishes and organic forms combining to create a strong sense of sensory and emotional depth.
Quite different in spirit is Tilos, Antonio Citterio’s collection inspired by the classic garden seating of the 1950s and 60s. Through combinations of wood, metal and braided rope, it revisits the aesthetic of the period while bringing a cleaner, more contemporary sensibility to traditional outdoor furniture.
