Ancient Cultures Inspire This Designer's Inaugural Product Line

Peter Michael Oleck’s sense of wanderlust has inspired his interiors, his Coral Gables showroom and now his first product line. The designer has unveiled Collection Pietra Casa, an assortment of 41 tables, seating and vessels, all handmade in Italy. Each piece is inspired by the ancient culture of a worldly site Oleck has explored, such as Indonesia’s Borobudur temple and Mexico’s Palenque ruins.

“Everything had meaning and purpose, from the building to the materials, dimensions, shapes, angles, alignment with the stars, and inscriptions and patterns on the walls,” he recalls of the destinations. Applying that intention to his product designs has resulted in namesake pieces such as the Avola table, a sculptural form that nods to the stone residences of the Sicilian town, and the Baratti barstool, boasting ribbed upholstery that emulates the Tuscan forest’s trees. When it came to materials, a study in the wellness benefits of crystals influenced selections. “We carefully chose limestones, marbles and travertines that offer a positive energetic frequency,” Oleck says. Now released into the world it so honors, the compilation is also a reflection of its creator. “It’s a culmination of more than 10 years of discovering what I call ‘secrets of the world,’ ” he summarizes.