maritza capiro global design picks
Photography by Dan Cutrona

The Global Design Objects on Maritza Capiro's Radar

Discover Naples interior architect Maritza Capiro's picks for five handcrafted furniture and lighting designs chosen for their artistry and materiality.

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Design Inspiration

Interior architect and designer Maritza Capiro looks beyond trends to discover furnishings with lasting character. This month, the Naples design professional shares five furniture and decor pieces that celebrate craftsmanship and made from tactile materials.

Lahar Bar Cabinet by Kelly Wearstler and Æquō 

Named for the Hindi word for ‘wave,’ the Lahar Bar Cabinet debuted this year as part of a collaboration between Kelly Wearstler and Mumbai-based Æquō, which connects designers with Indian artisans and craft traditions. A cast bronze grid wraps the 6-foot-tall teak cabinet, each opening fitted with a hand-shaped enameled copper tile. The resulting pattern reinterprets ancient Indian motifs through Kelly’s geometric sensibilities. “The blend of materials gives this piece such beautiful movement,” Maritza says. Inside, illuminated shelves and integrated bottle storage add practicality to the casework. aequo.in

Gurunsi by PET Lamp

Ghanaian artisans follow traditional weaving methods, using recycled plastic fibers and elephant grass to create the undulating forms of the Gurunsi collection by PET Lamp. “I love the movement of this piece,” Maritza says. “It reminds me of a canopy of trees, protecting everything under it.” The shape, a collection of concentric circles, mirrors the architecture of family compounds commonly found in northern Ghana. Gurunsi lights are available as a single circle measuring nearly 4 feet in diameter or as an assemblage of smaller circles spanning up to 17 feet. petlamp.org

Thing Stool by Konekt

Once common as a padding material for seating, horsehair is usually hidden beneath layers of upholstery. The Thing Stool, from the family-founded Konekt studio, places it front and center. The material circles the base with a dense fringe, softening the silhouette and introducing a sense of movement. A hand-stitched upholstered seat and patinated metal band provide a tailored counterpoint. “The plushness of the seat elegantly balances the roughness of the horsehair,” Maritza says. Made to order by artisans in Pennsylvania, the stool is available in four variations and customized to your desired size and color. konekt.com 

Field 39 by SkLO

“Strong and soft mix together in this piece, and that tension creates excitement,” Maritza says of SkLO’s Field 39 coffee table. The design merges dozens of handblown glass cylinders into a substantial brass-framed form, pairing the visual lightness of glass with the sturdiness of functional furniture. Part of the 2009-founded studio’s first furniture collection, the Field series grows through repetition, with tables ranging from seven cylinders to 39 for the coffee table. SkLO co-founder Karen Gilbert compares the approach to how musical notes create a composition. Designed in Northern California and produced in the Czech Republic, each piece reveals its maker’s hand through subtle variations from one cylinder to the next. sklo.com

Suspence Sofa A by Enne

The Suspence Sofa A stretches over 9 feet of soft upholstery. “Between the materiality and the curve, you can’t go wrong,” Maritza says. “It just makes you want to sit down and relax.” Working with Turkish furniture manufacturer Enne, architect Maurizio Manzoni designed the piece as a study in nature’s dichotomy. The crescent shape, upholstered in leather or fabric, relies on symmetry and suppleness, while the arms, inlaid with marble or rough travertine, ground the form and embrace organic variability. enne.com.tr