LUCA NICHETTO: THE POWER OF IDEAS
“I find hyper fascinating the power of ideas. Our main goal is not only the object itself, but it's the culture of the project that is surrounding what we create”
For Luca Nichetto, the design process begins with a childlike wonder. Before moving on to the problem solving phase, he immerses himself fully in the sensory and imaginative worlds, fearlessly pursuing his curiosity to find a direction that is innovative and joyful. This is key to infusing his work with “a kind of playfulness or soul,” as he describes it.
“I think [childhood] is the moment of our life where we are more creative because we don't have experience and we just dream without any filter that society gives us. And the result of that is a beautiful imagination that allows us to build our life,” says Luca.
Just as adulthood gives us the practical tools to build upon childhood dreams, to enhance and shape them, so does the design process: “Design is trying to solve problems. But the dream that you have, what you are creating, needs to be strong enough to [endure],” he explains.
From early childhood, Luca has understood the power of ideas and how collaboration with craftspeople can bring them to life. Growing up on the Venetian island of Murano, with its long history of glassmaking, Luca was surrounded by artisans. “To see a drawing that was becoming an object, for me, was almost like going to buy a piece of bread — it is part of my childhood, my way to see the reality of craft,” he explains.
Design and craft grew within him as he grew; they became part of who he is. His experiences fostered his interest in craft across disciplines and his desire to continually push boundaries to create new possibilities.
In 2006, he opened his eponymous design studio in Venice, then an additional office five years later in Stockholm. At Nichetto Studio he leads his team in a broad range of disciplines including product, interiors, and exhibition design, and his unique creative vision has brought him international acclaim across boundaries.
“In the Anglo-Saxon way to see things, there is industrial design, product design, food design, fashion design, lighting design. Everything is put inside a box. In Italian, but let's say more Mediterranean, there is much more of this idea, a little bit connected to the Renaissance, that you are a creative, you express your creativity through different mediums. Can be a chair, can be an interior, can be architecture, can be a sculpture, whatever. You are more free to try and not just be constrained to a box,” says Luca.
De La Espada has been collaborating with Luca Nichetto since 2014. From the outset, Luca was interested in working deeply with De La Espada’s craft expertise, showcasing our woodworking and upholstery. Some of his earliest products, including Elysia Lounge Chair and Stanley Sofa, bring structural frames to the forefront: curves of timber trace the edges of each organic shape making a feature of wood grain, joinery and master craftsmanship. The upholstery is a medley of tautness and softness, undulating forms, folding, and stitching.
When designing upholstered products for De La Espada, Luca always considers timber elements in equal proportion, shaping and revealing timber in imaginative ways, heightening the tactility of upholstered pieces and creating a balance between classic and pioneering form. His sofa systems, including Belle Reeve and the award-winning Azores, feature complex woodworking; they make a statement while feeling warm and inviting, connected to the craftsperson.
“[De La Espada shares] a respect for the artisan, for the craftsman. From day one we were trying to push the limit, and thank God De La Espada wanted to push the limit because I think it's the only way that you can create an innovation that has value. With De La Espada, there is always the idea to jump out of our comfort zone and try to explore unconventional territory that can be where the idea really becomes something very special,” says Luca.
Luca has also pushed De La Espada into new construction techniques, as in the case of the Sela Chair, launched in 2023.
“With Sela, there was the idea to do a chair that somehow has the same kind of attitude that you can find in the Scandinavian world, but also giving a little bit of Italian touch because it's who I am — an Italian living in Stockholm. So saddle leather is the perfect material; its structure gives you the opportunity for different weights and different bodies — we are all different. We did not want a strong structure that tells you how you need to feel, but instead there is like a membrane that is taking the shape of the person that sits on it. It's kind of a humble action considering more the user than the object,” says Luca.
Having not previously worked with saddle leather, De La Espada approached a local Portuguese saddler to learn the intricacies of the generations-old craft process. Under their tutelage, our craftspeople gained the knowledge and skills to approach saddlery with the same integrity and precision as our woodworking and upholstery. “That was something that De La Espada did to be able to understand the knowledge and then that knowledge became part of the company DNA,” says Luca.
This project expanded the possibilities for further products: the same skills are now applied to the craft of the October Chair by Neri&Hu, released in 2025. “I find hyper fascinating the power of ideas. Sometimes people don't understand how much value a designer has, if a designer really knows the industry. Because our main goal is not only the object itself, but it's the culture of the project that is surrounding what we create,” says Luca.
Luca Nichetto products also embrace complementary materials in De La Espada’s palette. Laurel Side and Coffee Tables, part of the partnership launch in 2014, pair timber with a generous use of stone and lacquer. Bold, geometric accent pieces, the tables are composed of a cone set upon a cylindrical base. These are functional objects in sensuous materials that bring sculptural interest to any space; they have become a favourite for interior projects worldwide. There is a clear through line from these pieces to Luca Nichetto’s latest collection for De La Espada, Tai.
“One of our first complements that we designed for De La Espada is the Laurel Table. That was born as a complement to the Stanley Sofa. Tai now can be seen as an evolution of the Laurel Table — there is a super strong connection between the two. The only thing is that the Laurel Tables were quite small, so they didn't scream their presence, but the approach was identical,” shares Luca.
In creating Tai, Luca was interested in heightening the impact of products typically seen as secondary, increasing their scale, using vivid colours and bold shapes, and playing with reflection while remaining loyal to utility.
“The intention was: how can we elevate this complement into becoming the protagonist of a room; something that has a very strong personality but that works together with the other De La Espada pieces? We want these pieces to be seen, to have a strong personality, even if they are serving a very humble function, allowing someone — an individual, an architect — to underline their personality when they're furnishing a space,” says Luca.
Cabinets, mirrors, and shelving offer functional support for diverse interiors while creating moments of surprise. Shelves frame voids; thoughtful storage solutions fill glossy lacquer surfaces; natural wood brings grounding and warmth. Expansive mirrors add dimension, playing with reflection and its powerful effect on perception. In the presence of Tai, space becomes fluid, extending both visually and practically.
“There is something about the scale of the mirrors we see in Tai, which turn them almost into portals to another universe, and where it becomes hard to distinguish between reality and reflection,” explains De La Espada co-founder Luis De Oliveira.
The Tai collection interacts with space, its playfulness bringing a fresh perspective, infusing the everyday with the childlike wonder the designer so values. “For me, what was most important was to give this object a personality that can create empathy with the person that is interacting with it. And this happened because I was able to look at this object with sort of fun eyes — almost like I'm a little kid and I'm sketching what, for me, should be an object like that,” says Luca.
He continues: “I think to have objects surrounding you that have this surprise effect or this kind of interaction with you — or even empathy in terms of playfulness, colour — it gives you not only function, but also five seconds of joy. The five seconds of joy is absolutely what we need today, even in what is surrounding us.”
In keeping with Luca Nichetto's passion for craft, and De La Espada’s exacting approach to it, the Tai collection boasts exquisite materials and craftsmanship, built to endure aesthetically and practically. It balances playfulness with sophistication.
“You try to always create something that has a reason to exist today. That means working on the quality and longevity of the product, sustainability — not only in replacing the pieces, but also the idea that you buy something that stays with you for a lifetime,” says Luca.
Luca Nichetto understands how to balance seemingly contradictory forces: play and sophistication, gloss and nature, boldness and quietness, sculpture and function. He isn’t afraid to dream of what he wants to see in the world, and call upon the power of collaboration to find new pathways to realise his vision.
“It's not going to change the world. I don't believe that design changes the world, but for sure if we are able to offer function and quality and craft plus a five-second smile, I think we did our mission properly,” he says.
Explore Luca Nichetto products
Photography credits, top to bottom, left to right: Images 2, 6-8, and 11-18 by Yuki Sugiura; image 3 by Morgan Norman; images 1, 4-5, and 9-10 by Inês Silva Sá
