BOTANICAL INSPIRED OTTOMAN
The brief was simple …. design a large leather ottoman as the centre point of the family salon. But simple briefs often carry the most potential.
The room itself was grand, a generous silk rug framed by a handsome 4-seater sofa, a pair of Deco club chairs in ebony and leather, two Macassar swivel tub chairs, and a pair of French bronze backless seats. A stunning Art Deco desk marked the entry. But in the centre, a void. The client imagined a large, rectangular ottoman.
I knew we could do better than that.
As I took in the space, my eye caught a bold hibiscus flower, center point on a large painting. Its delicate, almost sculptural petals sparked something in me - this would be our starting point.
What followed was a creative whirlwind with our long-time designer and illustrator, Rene Manalo. We’ve worked together since the mid-90s, and when we’re in rhythm, the creative design just flows. Soon, the idea took shape - not one ottoman, but three petal-shaped forms that could sit together or apart. Functional art that told a story.
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Our clients had a passion for entomology, so we wove in their world - quite literally. Across the soft Italian leather surfaces, we stitched a menagerie of butterflies, dragonflies, beetles, and spiders, surrounded by the flowers and foliage they inhabit. Over sixty thousand individual hand stitches, all done by our master leatherworker, Andrew Reeson. Six months of tireless, demanding and, sometimes physically painful, work.
Each ’petal’ was upholstered in a different tone … deep blue, rich mid-tan, and dark espresso, skilfully applied by our Swiss upholsterer, Edwin. The inner curved edges where the pieces met were faced in bronze. Each form rested on organically shaped, cast bronze feet.
Pull the ‘petals’ apart and more secrets are revealed. Hand-stitched underground scenes of life beneath the surface. Worms, roots, tunnels, even a redback spider mid-hunt. It’s a hidden narrative, waiting to be discovered.
When brought back together, the centre is crowned with a sculptural, oversized scarab beetle in three interlocking bronze parts, bringing the entire concept full circle.
The result is something we’re immensely proud of. A bold, detailed, and completely unique piece of functional art, crafted to honour a space, a story, and a client’s imagination.
