Jordi Vilanova

JORDI VILANOVA I BOSCH (Rubí, Barcelona, 1925 – Barcelona, 1998).
Pair of nightstands. Barcelona, late 1960s.
Walnut wood, brass trim, and leather-lined drawers.
Provenance: made for the complete renovation of an apartment in Barcelona.
Measurements: 51 × 54 × 35 cm (height × width × depth), each.

Pair of open-frame nightstands designed by Jordi Vilanova, featuring circular-section legs, two shelves, and a built-in drawer beneath the top shelf. The slenderness of the legs and the arrangement of the crossbars lend a sense of lightness to the piece, while the brass and leather details are hallmarks of contrast with the walnut. These features reflect his approach to combining the functionality and structural clarity of Nordic design with the Mediterranean cabinetmaking tradition. The attention to detail at the joints, the rounded forms, and the combination of wood, leather, and brass find parallels in the designer’s other furniture pieces, conceived as part of comprehensive interior design projects.

Trained as a cabinetmaker and interior designer, Vilanova developed his own design language based on a synthesis of the precision of Nordic design, the Mediterranean tradition of craftsmanship, and the needs of modern living. Working independently since 1952, he played an active role in the renewal of Catalan design during the 1960s and 1970s and was involved in initiatives such as the FAD Association of Industrial Designers and the La Cantonada collective. His professional archive is preserved at the Disseny Hub Barcelona, a testament to his significance in the history of 20th-century Spanish furniture.