IT'S A SOUL KITCHEN
A conversation with Paolo Tormena

Henge is a young company that has made material research and innovation in finishes its distinctive hallmark, offering a contemporary, international lifestyle composed of refined, exclusive designs. 

We meet Paolo Tormena, the founder of Henge, at the company’s headquarters in Follina, nestled at the foot of the Prosecco hills, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In this space, where floor-to-ceiling windows separate the offices from the emerging company garden and park, we begin our conversation surrounded by ongoing project designs and samples of fine materials. 

Q: Henge places local artisanal excellence at the service of timeless, customizable design projects. How important is it for you to stay rooted in the Italian territory to develop a refined, innovative, and timeless project?

A: Henge could only have been born in this region, rich in craftsmanship, expertise, and small production hubs. It’s a system I’ve been familiar with for years and collaborate with to develop various elements of our collections, which range from living spaces to lighting and kitchens. Our company isn’t based on the concept of a product but rather on a lifestyle. For this reason, we work with different specialists in diverse materials and products.

Here in Veneto, we’ve established a streamlined and organized supply chain within a 30-kilometer radius, excelling in the processing of wood, marble, stone, and metal. We collaborate with various suppliers, some of whom now work exclusively for us—companies that, with our support, have gone from being at risk of closure to becoming healthy businesses with new employees. These are rooted, generational enterprises.

I’m proud to express our aesthetic while preserving ancient workshops that possess great know-how but lacked a vision for the future on their own. Henge was born and will remain here, deeply tied to this land and its rich artisanal tradition. This is why we are investing in transforming our headquarters and this industrial area. We’ve demolished more than 10,000 square meters of concrete to make way for a garden, an orchard with fruit trees, and tennis courts for employees.

Founded in 2010 through dialogue with Massimo Castagna, Henge was created with the idea of establishing a company with content and an aesthetic that was missing from the international design landscape. It’s a project centered on authentic materials, advanced research, and complex craftsmanship involving stone, metal, leather, and upholstery.

The goal was—and remains—to combine technology with artisanal expertise. This is true Made in Italy, capable of merging attention to handmade details with technological innovation, an excellence and way of thinking that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

 Q: Your products not only shape spaces but also invite people to imagine relationships. What aspects of the life within spaces do you enjoy envisioning?

A: The name of our company tells the story itself. Henge is a term used to describe the first places of human gathering, such as the megalithic structures of Stonehenge. These were not just physical spaces but symbols of community, culture, and connection. For us, Henge represents the idea of a space where people come together, share experiences, and connect. We like to imagine this place as the home. 

That’s why we have never followed fleeting trends or fashions. Operating in a very high-end market, we’ve always aimed to create authentic, timeless products that act as lifelong companions. Once they become part of the home, they accompany us through life, forming an intimate and personal relationship while reflecting our vision of beauty. 

For this reason, we’ve never approached our work in terms of standard products. Instead, we strive to evoke emotions and make unique experiences possible. Even our showrooms convey a distinctive allure, as they are complete interior design projects in their own right. If you focus solely on the product, you miss the opportunity to create a connection with the space. Our approach is entirely different: we go beyond conventions and interpret spaces by imagining how they could be inhabited and lived in.

This philosophy was evident from our very first showroom in Milan, located at Via della Spiga 7, and continues with the new spaces we are opening globally. For instance, if we want to showcase a bookcase in a showroom with five-meter ceilings, we create a five-meter-tall bookcase. Our work is all about customization and attention to detail, which is what elevates our brand to a very high level.

We’re able to achieve this thanks to our technical department, which has the capability to manage even the most complex demands—challenges that have shaped our company over time. The market values us for our research and customization. To me, these are genuine sensitivities, not just marketing strategies. Other companies, with more conventional industrial structures, are often forced to operate in a more standardized way.

Q: Your interior design project has expanded, adding kitchens to your living and lighting designs, further enriching your vision through new collaborations. What does the kitchen represent for you, and what can make this space special in the time spent at home today?

A: The kitchen project was born from the awareness that, in modern living, this space has become the heart of the home, where much of social life is centered. I’m fortunate to speak with our clients, and they all tell me that they increasingly use these spaces in a convivial way.

The kitchen is no longer just a space for cooking but also a place for entertaining. For us, the kitchen is a natural extension of the living area, harmoniously interacting with lighting, tables, upholstery, and bookcases. We didn’t want to simply add another kitchen to the market; that’s why our kitchens start from a different concept. They are always customized, both in dimensions and materials, seamlessly integrating with everything around them, including existing furnishings.

It’s a contemporary vision of how to use the home and enjoy the time spent there.

Q: How much does material research influence your design process? Where do your collections originate, and what input do you provide when collaborating with international designers?

A: Our collections are developed and enriched through real-world experiences, specifically projects created for large international residential spaces. Both our interior design team and the architects and designers who collaborate with us tackle these challenges on the ground. From these experiences, we identify whether our offerings need to expand into specific areas of living, dining, kitchen, or lighting design.

The continuous dialogue between design, technical offices, and clients is the true incubator of stylistic evolution. This interaction allows us to introduce new materials and furnishings, making the company increasingly versatile.

Our products always originate from collaboration. For this reason, the designers we work with are involved in every stage of product development—we are not mere executors. Every project is born from a shared interior concept that inspires us to imagine scenarios and sensations, helping us understand how to express them in the best way possible.

Q: Flagship stores in Milan, Beirut, Miami, Moscow, and, as of September, London. How does being present in such culturally and climatically diverse locations influence your approach to design and your ability to meet desires while inspiring them at the same time?

A: Our company and products are inherently versatile. When interpreted intelligently, our designs fit seamlessly into a white villa in Miami as well as a chalet in Cortina or Zermatt. I believe this flexibility is rooted in two key elements: the first is our style, which focuses on design rather than a decorative approach; the second is our materials, ranging from leathers to woods and stones, which can adapt to very different contexts.

Each market has its own preferences. For example, when it comes to upholstery, some markets lean more towards fabrics, while others prefer leather. We work with highly certified tanneries, using very natural leathers with minimal finishing, allowing the material itself to speak and evolve based on its use and the climate where it’s placed. Our clients appreciate this authenticity.

Another strength of ours is the ability to blend with other luxury brands. To me, this is a significant advantage: creating a total look is wonderful, but it’s equally fascinating to see our products combined with other Made in Italy excellences.

Q: What do you think will become increasingly essential for the future of interior and design projects?

What makes Henge so special and stand out above all others?

A: Continuing to innovate is fundamental. There are no predefined formulas for how to operate. We rely on an international network of contacts that brings us new ideas, and developing them requires both time and financial resources. The projects we undertake always have a long-term horizon.

We are driven by passion: when we discover an extraordinary stone, a unique block of material, or a remarkable log, we purchase it—even if it doesn’t immediately become part of a collection. The same applies to new techniques and technical experiments, which remain central to our priorities. If you have great ingredients, you’ll cook well—the only risk is in mishandling them.

We’ve managed to combine two seemingly distant concepts: design and luxury. In our stylistic journey, it’s becoming increasingly clear that we are a company that engages with design while expressing a form of essential luxury. Decorating and adding is easy; being clean, flawless, and stripping away the unnecessary while maintaining a strong identity—that is the real challenge. That’s how you invent a new kind of luxury.

This approach ensures that what we create today will still be beautiful ten years from now. You can produce captivating things for the short term, but it’s enduring beauty that truly matters. Additionally, we push our suppliers to innovate, encouraging them to go beyond the limits of standard production to develop increasingly cutting-edge solutions.

For us, timelessness also aligns with the pursuit of sustainability. Our primary goal is to create products that last over time and that we can be proud of, while minimizing environmental impact. Sustainability for us means using resources wisely, avoiding saturating the market with ephemeral products, and employing natural materials.

We’re also very attentive to energy consumption and its sources. On a social level, we’re making significant investments here at our headquarters. The offices will feature large windows overlooking the park, vegetable garden, and outdoor sports areas—spaces we’ve completely transformed. This land had been covered in concrete since the 1970s.

A lot of time is spent at work, and that time must be of high quality.