Conceived by Monica Khemsurov, co-founder of visual arts publication Sight Unseen, Petra is inspired by the striking sculptural fixtures adorning 20th-century European art deco and modernist buildings. Defined by a commitment to aesthetically and conceptually expressive hardware, the platform intends to revive attention to architectural detail and artistry in contemporary interior design.
Its highly curated debut collection of primarily handmade small-batch fixtures spans curtain tie-backs, switch plates, door handles, cabinet knobs, and more. Designs range from elevated classics to bold statement pieces, with both existing boutique pieces and exclusive commissions by independent designers available.
Validating our Spring/Summer 2024 Design Direction Soft Surrealism, the collection brings a sense of whimsy to a typically functional area of interior decoration. Select designs include the debut hardware range from American jewellery designer Pamela Love – comprising intricately carved cabinet knobs shaped like eyes, pomegranates and urns – and London-based designer James Shaw’s brightly hued tactile handles.
An exclusive series of sculptural metal hardware in the form of spiders, serpents, flora and fauna has been created for Petra by Colombia- and Brooklyn-based artist Chris Wolston. The marketplace will also feature BD Barcelona’s licensed reproductions of elaborate designs by Spanish artists Antoni Gaudí and Salvador Dalí.
As explored in The Heartfelt Home, interiors are increasingly defined by identity, spurred by a growing understanding of how characterful home environments boost wellbeing. While mass-manufactured offerings for DIY interior updates by brands including Anthropologie (US), Ikea (Sweden) and Søstrene Grene (Denmark) represent a commercial approach to this market, Petra taps into the desire for artistic self-reflection through elevated styling choices in the home for the luxury consumer.
