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Driven by Collaboration, Dedicated to Local Design – grazia&co
Founded on principles of quality and sustainability, grazia&co exemplifies a long-established dedication to supporting and promoting local furniture design in Australia. Co-founded by Grazia Materia and Steven Parry, the brand has a history of collaborations with local architects and designers and is constantly responding to the dynamism of the design world.
Harnessing over 25 years of industry experience, grazia&co is the result of a relentless commitment to local design. From an ethos built on quality and supporting Australian manufacturing, the brand’s commitment to sustainability and longevity has been paramount. As a family-run business, the importance of close and trusting partnerships is the foundation from which everything else has been developed. It is no surprise, therefore, that it is from these key relationships that important collaborative collections with different architects and designers have grown.
Harnessing over 25 years of industry experience, grazia&co is the result of a relentless commitment to local design.
Grazia explains that “all of our collaborative partnerships stem from mutual respect and an appreciation for each other’s work, combined with a mutual passion for the concept.” After these shared values have been established, “it’s a very organic process, with this respect usually being established from a successful working relationship developed over many years,” she says. “Occasionally, however, it’s the result of a partnership born from working on a new project together where there is an instant synergy between the parties and the product being specified.”
The Aerial Table, a collaboration with Wood Marsh Architecture, is the latest collection to grow from a close working relationship. Grazia says, “being such a long-term admirer of Wood Marsh Architecture, it was nothing but a pleasure to work with them and an honour to be able bring their design to market.” The piece takes key formal curvilinear geometries, typical of the architects’ work, and reinterprets the classical geometry through materiality and form. Imagined to be either a stand-alone piece or an interconnecting modular system, the repetition and uniformity creates an enduring addition.
As an extension to the successful Diiva collection, the Diiva dining and occasional chairs and matching ottomans extend and expand the familiar fine framework, combined with the same soft curves and generous back support. As with all grazia&co pieces, customisation is possible due to the local manufacturing process. Intended to be used across hospitality, commercial and residential settings, the pieces have been designed with a solid rod frame to ensure an inherent robustness and durability.
The Aerial Table, a collaboration with Wood Marsh Architecture, is the latest collection to grow from a close working relationship.
Constantly monitoring the movement within the market and responding to the anticipated changes, grazia&co remains fluid. “The market is clearly shifting away from poor quality, inferior materials and disposable fast fashion design,” Grazia observes. “The focus is returning to designs with longevity that are well made. We see a new appreciation and an increasing demand for pieces to be made using sustainable materials and methods.”
And, in the context of current times, the appreciation of locally focused businesses has only strengthened. While there are always unknowns in a future unpaved, grazia&co’s commitment to continually evolving has always kept the brand in good stead. On the future of the business, Grazia says, “grazia&co’s values of authenticity, design integrity and local production will continue to guide ourdirection.” With the current pandemic making many Australians question where pieces are designed and manufactured, she reflects that the importance of supporting the continuation of local production has been highlighted. “There finally seems to be growing loyalty and support for products made in Australia. Australia needs to capitalise on this movement and reinvest into trades and manufacturing to ensure imported products do not overflow the market, resulting in local manufacturing becoming obsolete.”
