"I believe in furniture that becomes indispensable without making too much noise," says Mario Ruiz. Indeed, that's often what the best industrial designers do, and Ruiz is no exception. After obtaining his degree in industrial design from Barcelona’s prestigious Elisava Design School, the multi-awarded Spanish talent has gone on to develop commercial furniture, lighting, textiles, and more, all of which showcase a thoughtfully simple aesthetic.
Now, Ruiz joins a slew of modern designers in creating a line of outdoor furniture for RH, whose stable of talents includes the likes of Harrison and Nicholas Condos, Barlas Baylar, and David Sutherland. Ruiz's line, called Paloma, is an assortment of chiseled, stately offerings in aluminum and solid teak.
Though at first look Paloma looks straightforward enough, the line is indicative of Ruiz's focused attention to detail. "The construction of this collection is based on a complex set of small connection details that build its identity and makes this design unique," Ruiz explains. The furniture's angular shapes are made possible by an extreme precision in craftsmanship.
Although the collection's manufacturing may owe a debt to careful precision, the finished product is all about relaxation. "What I remember the most about my childhood is spending relaxed and casual moments with friends and family during the summer holidays," the designer recalls. "Everything was simple and easygoing."
It's in this attitude that Ruiz's Spanish heritage comes into play. "Spain is a country with a solar culture," he explains. "This, of course, inspires me. Also, while working on this project I was thinking how every day the sun sets, but with our crazy lives we almost have no time to enjoy it. Just stopping and taking time to be calm lets us get the best of this miracle. I thought this collection could help people to enjoy wonderful moments under the sky."
