Ask anyone which words they would use to describe Italian design, and the most likely answers would be flair and luxury. And if you asked them to sum up the Italians, you wouldn’t be surprised to hear ‘passionate’.

This is a country with a long love affair with design, and a passion for life. Combine the two and you’re looking at a powerful formula. And boy, do the Italians know how to pack a punch, from the original Cinquecento to the Ferrari, the Arco lamp to Castiglioni’s stacking chair, the Olivetti typewriter, to the Vespa Piaggio.

What have the Italians ever done for us?

When the Italians design, quality, and flair are on equal footings. And a global reputation for beautiful lines and luxurious style is perhaps, the real difference between Italy and its German neighbours.

Like Italy, Germany excels at functionality, the manufacturing is exemplary, efficient, high tech, and precision engineering. Renowned for the Bauhaus art movement, the post WW1 period influenced interiors across the globe, with modern, geometric furniture designed for optimised functionality. What started from necessity, became one of the most influential design movements ever created.

The Italians meanwhile, had developed a tradition of an in-depth understanding of beauty, art, and living la dolce vita “the sweet life.”

Gio Ponti desk

This 1950’s Gio Ponti desk, manufactured in walnut and brass – is a fine example of the attention to detail is synonymous with Italian design. Steam lined, balanced, luxurious, and perfectly crafted.

The same dedication for precision and functionality, the Italians add weight to aesthetics right at the start, incorporating flair throughout the design and manufacturing process, developing a reputation for luxury that became a national standard.

Italy experienced a true avant-garde period following WW2, with growth in industrial production and mass-made furniture, a boom that made high-quality production affordable, without compromising standards. Yet, for lovers of modern design – it was the 60’s that kicked off Italy’s reputation world-class postmodern interiors and truly iconic furniture brands. 

Baffo Lounge chair

The Baffo lounge chair, designed by Gianni Pareschi & Ezio Didone for Busnelli in 1969. Pareschi is just one of Italy’s leading designers that has worked alongside Gruppo Confalonieriin creating premium door handles for today’s manufacturers.

Let’s be clear, it’s not just furniture that Italians can be proud of. Fashion design houses from Versace to Prada, product design from Moca to Alessi, all contribute to Italy’s status as the global hothouse for style. And then of course, the Italian flair for the automobile.

For furniture manufacturers, function is just one part of design

While Italy may have secured a reputation for design, and the Germans for engineering – the reality is that both excel in the manufacturing and production of world-class products and components. The real difference is in the emphasis, and for the Italians – flair is equal to function.

Italian style breathes life into design, and turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. This is why Italian storage solutions, accessories, and components are the go-to choice for furniture manufacturers who demand high standards but want that extra va-va voom.

True luxury is an experience, not a price tag

And just as the most iconic Italian designer, it’s about recognising that furniture isn’t just functional – it’s should create an experience.
Luxury is more than aesthetics – when you open a drawer, slide a wardrobe door, or turn on a light – there should be pleasure. And of course, the benchmark for function, is in not even being aware of it.

Which is why we work with Italian partners, bring the very best components, fittings, and accessories to our UK manufacturers and furniture makers. When it comes to flair and luxury, it’s hard to beat the self-assured style of Italian design. 

Highlighting the best furniture design

From the Arco light to the Sputnik, Italy has a global reputation for lighting design, so when Forma e Funzione, sum up their offering with ‘Let’s give shape to thoughts’ they do so with substance.

Take the Sky collection – a range of discrete highlighting that is easily incorporated into furniture and cabinet design. Available in 16 variants, including dual light, switch, and sensor, it’s the perfect example of how the smallest components can turn a beautiful design into a luxurious one.

Bedroom furniture solutions from the inside out

In Italy, the link between clothing and wardrobes is absolute. And so, it makes complete sense that the same high expectation for quality be applied to walk-in closets, dressing rooms, and bedroom wardrobe furniture. 

Sky Collection

Which is why every accessory manufactured by Furnitol has the same attention to detail, quality of material, and design innovation. From ready-made accessories to opening mechanisms, from components sliding doors wardrobes modular drawer organising systems that include wooden tie holders and leather jewellery boxes – every component is designed and manufactured to ensure that furniture manufacturers can combine luxury with top-notch function. 

Bedroom

Quality in furniture design hinges on quality and innovation

With Italian design, the opening mechanism is equal to the design, applying the same expectation for quality to the inside of a cabinet, as they do the external appearance. Which is why we love working with Effegibrevetti. 

Like many of our partners, Effegibrevetti has real provenance. Founded in 1964, by Fiorello Giovannetti, who designed the award-winning tempered steel Ankor expander for wood and chipboard panels. It’s a design pedigree that continues with leading mechanisms for the global furniture industry.

From flap doors to swing, pantograph to vertical, folding to oblique opening, Effegibrevetti opening mechanisms add a level of luxury that isn’t just apparent when the hinges are seen – it can be felt every time they are used.

The Unico mechanism for downward flap doors is a great example. With vertical, lateral, and frontal adjustment, opening and closing can be easily optimized. Sleek, recessed mounting creates a beautiful, stylish and faultless design, incorporating the attention to detail that is the hallmark of the best furniture designs. 

Effegibrevetti

UNICO effegibrevetti

Handles that designers love

When big name Italian designers like Paulo Nava, Fabio Casiraghi, Lissoni Associau, Molteni, Franco Guanzirolo, Luca Casini, Marconato, Fabrizio Zappa and Simone Micheli choose to work with an Italian hardware company with over 70 years of experience, you know it’s one to pay attention to.

Confalonieri is an innovative furniture hardware and accessories manufacturer that works with some of the best furniture brands and designers in the world. Just flicking through their catalogue is a little like a who’s who of top-notch designers.

Take the textured die-cast metal handle, designed by the Paolo Nava design studio, who has worked with brands that include Flexform, B&B Italia, Tonon, Poliform, and De Sede. Or perhaps, the beautifully crafted leather pull handle from Gianna Pareschi, renowned for the iconic Baffo Lounge chair and his work with Scavolini. With such impressive provenance, it’s a given that every handle, knob, hook, castor, foot and hinge are manufactured to exacting standards.

Smart furniture, smart manufacturers

Checkup are innovators, ahead of the curve with impressive, discrete audio solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into furniture, including bathroom mirrors and cabinets. Built-in UV air fresheners for wardrobe and kitchen cabinets destroy up to 99% of harmful agents, and effortlessly reduce odour. 

Wireless Charging

Increasingly appealing for consumers, incorporating smart tech solutions is a wise choice for furniture manufacturers with their eye on the future. Integrated and discrete charging points should be the first port of call.

And of course, with air quality high on the agenda right now, the integrated air purifier an exciting introduction. Combining the natural air filtration of plants with smart tech results in an ingenious, aesthetically impressive solution that actively improves air quality.

Checkup think about how we live our lives, and then how to improve it. Smart tech, smart choices for furniture manufacturers.

IT Air

Moving the boundaries for furniture design

Unquestionably the go-to International company for furniture manufacturers, with a passion for innovative, cutting edge furniture solutions. From slide out desks, moveable worktops, extending tables, and pull out shelving – Atim Spa has a catalogue of moving solutions that are so impressive that frankly, it’s hard to stop looking at.

With more of us work from home than ever before, furniture is increasingly needing to keep up with social change. With Atim, kitchens can easily incorporate additional worktop or desk space, and furniture can transform with a mere nudge. 

T-Able T-Able XL

Guides, mechanisms, profiles and accessories are all part of a portfolio of high-quality, innovative aluminium components, and solutions that can be customised and adapted to individual needs. Innovation, flair, and quality – all the hallmarks of the very best Italian design.

Opening the drawer on tailored furniture solutions

drawers ValemItalisPremium furniture requires premium storage solutions, and nothing says luxury more than solid wood and tailored storage. The first choice for leading furniture manufacturers across the globe, Valenitalia manufacture beautifully crafted wooden components, in finishes that include walnut and beech.

Valenitalia introduced UK manufacturing, so just in time manufacturing and customised service s on the doorstep for both volume manufacturers, and designers of bespoke kitchen and bathroom furniture.

When you combine the Italian passion for luxury, style and technology, in a range of crafted drawers, boxes, inserts, dividers and accessories – the result is a bespoke offering for every customer.

Design furniture with passion, for luxury.

When an Italian company creates storage solutions for wardrobes, components for kitchen design, or lighting solutions for living spaces – they consider that every tiny part contributes to the overall design.

For UK manufacturers this presents the perfect unison. When you incorporate the best Italian fittings, components, and accessories, standards for style and luxury are assured in every aspect of design. Furniture designs that incorporate Italian solutions, will always have the va-va voom factor.

The Italians design with passion, for luxury.

And that’s the perfect partnership.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Post comment