b-ing Design
Half Century of Pilma
Over the last 50 years PILMA has become synonymous with modern design not only in Barcelona but also in Spain. The company retails contemporary furniture and decorative objects within beautifully curated shops and showrooms that reflect the ethos and principles of the brand and its vision on design: rational style, simplicity of form, great personality, quality materials and timelessness.
PILMA was founded in 1974, when the owners —husband and wife Ricard López and Magda Barceló— decided to bring design that was being produced in other parts of the world to the Barcelona public as well as showcasing local brands, in a unique space that soon became a benchmark in the world of furniture and decoration in the city. The very first PILMA shop was located at C/ València 1, near the Parc de Joan Miró.
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Façade of the First Pilma store, C/ Valéncia, 1, 1974
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view of the exterior of the first Pilma shop, C. València, 1, 1974
The first shop on c/ Valencia established the style of architecture and interior design for the subsequent PILMA shops (minimalist and functional) and in the selection of products (pieces that combine function and form), conceived to last over time using only quality materials. And it also introduced the logo, created during the 1960s designed by Josep Baqués, based on the first letters of the names of Ricard’s mother (Pilar) and his wife (Magda), an instantly recognisable iconic design that is today displayed at the Barcelona Design Museum. In 2021 the logo was expanded turning its five letters into an entire alphabet under a rebranding exercise undertaken by the brand which was awarded with three Laus Awards.
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Interior of the first Pilma store, in C/ València, 1, 1974
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Pilma logo applications, archive images
Pilma is still a family business with four generations of history. Its origins date back to when Ricard began working with wood in the cabinetmaking shop that his father Domingo founded in Carrer Llança in Barcelona in 1929, 95 years ago, where they made custom-made cabinets. Nowadays there are four Pilma shops in total, three in Barcelona and one in Madrid, selling home and office furniture, lighting and decorative objects from celebrated national and international brands, as well as its own furniture brand PLM Design. In addition, there are three Pilma Travel shops speciali-sing in travel luggage, in Barcelona, Marbella and Madrid.
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Current images of the Pilma store in C/ València, Barcelona
- Pilma BARCELONA:
- C. València, 1 (Eixample)
- Av. Diagonal, 403 (Eixample)
- C. Santa Amèlia, 37-43 (Sarrià)
- Pilma MADRID:
- C. Velázquez, 23 (Salamanca)
- www.pilma.com