It’s not often a sofa refuses to pick a front. But Ethimo and Elena Salmistraro lean into that ambiguity with Loop, debuting at Salone del Mobile 2026 as something closer to a landscape than furniture.

This is outdoor sculptural seating in its most literal sense. Volumes rise and dip like soft terrain. Armrests curl into backrests, then dissolve again. There’s no fixed posture here, no prescribed way to sit. You perch, lean, gather, drift.

It changes how people use space.

Because Loop is accessible from every angle, it pulls circulation inward. Conversations happen across it, around it, through it. The piece becomes a social anchor without ever feeling static. In a hospitality setting, that matters. It invites movement while still holding the room.

What holds it together is continuity. One uninterrupted surface, fully upholstered, with no visible breaks or hierarchy. The form reads as a single gesture rather than assembled parts, which is exactly what gives it that easy, almost instinctive feel.

Color reinforces the mood. Earthy rusts ground it. Seafoam tones cool it down. Both palettes lean atmospheric rather than decorative.

If you’ve seen this take on outdoor lounge seating, you know the category is loosening up. Loop pushes it further.

Less sofa, more situation.

_{Images Courtesy of Ethimo and Elena Salmistraro}