Go bold with bright colors

Gatsby Silver. Midas Gold. Royal Blue. Sunrise Orange. Be That Green. Fuego Red. Ballet Pink. These are some of the 50 eye-catching color options describing POLaRT Design’s baroque-inspired furniture on display earlier this summer at the Las Vegas Market.

Josue Reynoso Franco and his family own and operate POLaRT in Mexico City. The company CEO said his indoor/outdoor furniture of many colors reflects the culture of his country.

“Some of Mexico’s greatest architects from the ’40s and ’50s were not afraid of color,” Franco said. “Drive around Mexico City and other parts of the country, and you will see homes with different colors and styles. It represents our individuality, and there is no ‘sameness’ that one finds in other communities. “This same individuality is in POLaRT furniture that easily starts conversations when one sees it for the first time. We’ve combined art, fashion and design to create book cases, armchairs and more. Our goal is to innovate and that’s why this furniture is perfect for Las Vegas, which is always innovating and looking to the future.”

Why such bold colors?

“I love reading and I love referencing things to what I read,” he said. “In George Orwell’s ‘1984,’ it is scary to see how society turns to ‘sameness.’ All of us want to shout and be heard but need to do it in a subtle manner. POLaRT is my subtle manner. It stands out among the rest and that allows every customer to choose any color combination, and to me, that’s breaking free of ‘sameness.’”

POLaRT is an acronym for “polymer art” with polymer being the primary material. The Victorian- era decor has been capturing urban consumers with its whimsy and bright colors. Some of these pieces can be found in Las Vegas at Living Penthouse, where Robert Leyva uses his downtown condominium to decorate high-end homes.

“Our unique, bold and colorful furniture adds a pop to any room whether it’s indoors or outdoors,” Franco said. “And now, with families spending more time outdoors, these are perfect pieces.

“The polymer-based furniture is designed for an outdoor lifestyle, and we have pieces that can be found on beaches at Sandals Hotel in the Bahamas, Melia Hotel in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and Ocean’s Ten Restaurant in Miami. Not only that, we recently shipped several chairs to a private home in Montana.”

Franco knows his furniture is a niche product that is not defined by a specific clientele. His suggestion is that customers whose homes are more traditional should experiment with POLaRT design and see what it feels like to become a bit more eclectic. He also is discovering that designers are urging homeowners to mix colors and shapes and be unique.

“It’s become old school to be married to a single style or brand,” he said. “In a marketplace full of options, pick more than one. With ours, you will either love it or hate it, but rest assured that it will be noticed. So pick your favorite room and bring it back to life with one of our bold colors and then be ready for a conversation as our pieces are a conversation starter.”

That conversation could begin with the POLaRT Calavera chair — more commonly referred to as “skull chair.” It is the first piece of a collection inspired by Mexico’s heritage and its most recognized holiday, Dia de los Muertos, the holiday to honor the dead. When translated into English, Calavera means “human skull,” which is appropriate as the chair is a giant skull.

“These chairs are decorated with ornate details to represent Dia de los Muertos,” Franco said. “And that includes the colors which are deeply rooted in our culture. The Heaven Blue chair is where we go after we die. Wake Purple is the color of the wakening of the dead person. Festive Orange represents many Mexican celebrations.

“The chair itself is constructed of polyurethane, steel, and the fabric of one’s choosing such as Sunbrella, marine vinyl or velvet.”