BEHIND THE DESIGN
CARLO SERIES
Over two years in the making, our second-ever seating collection is here.
Introducing the Carlo collection. Bringing together Japanese-inspired simplicity, solid American Oak and a series of carefully resolved details across three distinct forms.
Comprising a Dining Chair, Small Stool and a Bar Stool, Carlo was inspired by cafe culture and the ease of casual dining. A collection that feels equally at home around your dining table as it does in cafes and restaurants.
At first glance, the collection appears beautifully minimal. Look closer, and the details begin to unfold.
An idea shaped over time.
Carlo's story began two years ago on a trip to Mexico, and continued to take shape through further travels to New York, Copenhagen and Japan.
“The idea for Carlo began on a trip to Mexico and slowly evolved over the past two years as I picked up inspiration along the way, from New York and Copenhagen to Japan. Each place added its own subtle detail, giving the chair its own personality.
You might think it's a minimal design at first, and while that is absolutely what Carlo is meant to be, it also doesn't take long to notice the small details that make Carlo what it is.
That's the story I wanted to tell: not one place, but many, brought together until they felt like a single idea."
Wes Sinclair, Creative Director & Designer
Simplicity, considered.
Carlo is Japanese-inspired in its design and materiality, with every piece crafted entirely from solid American Oak.
Finger joints at the front face reveal the natural end grain of the timber, referencing traditional Japanese joinery and the wabi-sabi philosophy of natural imperfection. Each variation in grain becomes part of the design, ensuring no two pieces present in quite the same way.
The seat base is gently concaved and softened along its front edge for comfort while subtle cut lines at the base of the legs bring further definition to the profile. On the Dining Chair, a slightly reclined backrest curves naturally against the body.
Individually, each detail is subtle. Together, they give Carlo its character.
This balance became central to the design: creating a piece with the familiarity and longevity of a classic timber chair, while introducing enough unexpected detail to make it distinctly Fleur Studios.
Designed for versatility.
Cafe culture played an important role in the evolution of Carlo.
The ease of casual dining informed not only the collection's design, but also how each piece needed to function. The Dining Chair, in particular, was conceived with stackability as a defining feature.
Its rear legs sit just outside the frame, allowing each chair to stack neatly into the next. What appears to be a simple adjustment required significant refinement to ensure the chair remained comfortable, robust and visually balanced from every angle.
For the home, the feature makes Carlo especially practical when entertaining or when additional seating needs to be stored away. In cafes, restaurants and hotels, it responds to an everyday functional requirement without compromising the integrity of the design.
“Getting the chair to stack was a real feat. It sounds simple, but achieving that while keeping the proportions right, making it comfortable and ensuring it still felt beautiful from every angle took a lot of finesse. It went through so many iterations over a two year period before every part felt complete.”
Wes Sinclair, Creative Director & Designer
Three forms, one design language.
The Carlo collection extends beyond the Dining Chair, with three forms designed to work seamlessly together, suiting different ways of dining and entertaining.
The Carlo Dining Chair forms the foundation of the series. Its stackable construction, curved backrest and refined proportions allow it to transition easily between everyday dining, entertaining and hospitality settings.
The Carlo Oak Small Stool takes a more casual approach. Perfect for casual dining, entertaining and commercial settings, its compact proportions also give it a life beyond the table, whether placed within a living space or used as a simple bedside table.
The Carlo Oak Bar Stool brings the same clean lines and considered detailing to kitchen counters, bar settings and casual dining spaces, extending the collection across different heights and configurations.
Together, the three forms create flexibility without losing the visual language that connects them.
The Carlo story continues.
The Carlo series now moves beyond seating with the introduction of the Carlo Oak Chocolate Dining Table, carrying the collection’s Japanese-inspired design language into a new dining form.
Designed to bring the collection together around the table, Carlo creates a complete setting for dining, gathering and entertaining, while still allowing each piece to stand confidently on its own.
The table carries the same warmth and Japanese-inspired simplicity that defines Carlo, while introducing Chocolate Marble alongside solid American Oak for the first time. It is an unexpected pairing that gives the design its own identity, while still feeling completely connected to the pieces that came before it.
A collection designed to adapt.
We have never approached dining chairs as a category that needs to be extensive.
Instead, each addition is considered carefully, with an emphasis on creating pieces that offer something distinct in both design and function. Carlo builds on that philosophy.
Its simplicity gives the collection an ability to adapt. In a pared-back interior, the warmth of American Oak and exposed joinery become more pronounced. Within a vibrant or highly textural space, the clean silhouette provides balance.
Classic without feeling familiar, and detailed without becoming complicated, Carlo was designed to work across different interiors rather than prescribe a single aesthetic.
That quality gives the collection its chameleon-like character. The form remains consistent, while the space around it changes the way it is experienced.
Simple at first glance. Considered in every detail.
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