Our articles dedicated to luxury design products made in Italy and manufacturing companies in Italy.

Tag Archive for: Made in Italy

From the beginning shock to the passion for his work, Alberto Rugiano tells about the family business.

It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when Alberto Rugiano didn’t want to set foot in his company.

He was just a child at the time, whereas today at the Mariano Comense headquarters, in the province of Como, Italy, we meet a young man and entrepreneur, enthusiastic about his work and determined to carry on the business bearing his surname.

Alberto, who now oversees the company’s commercial strategies, created his first collection at the age of twelve.

Back then, he spent his free days with his father Luigi in the production departments, unknowingly becoming passionate about what would become his job.

“Rugiano transforms dreams into matter” and begins from the choice of materials.

For its creations, the company chooses noble metals such as bronze, brass and steel and uses the finest leathers and fabrics.

At Rugiano, craftsmanship plays a central role: in fact, we find those who work and decorate leather, those who shape metal, those who embroider textiles and those who do cabinet-making.

Attention to detail, research into new materials and reinterpretation of classic ones result in timeless pieces of design and make the company worldwide recognisable.

Alberto has no doubts about the path taken by the company: products with clean, contemporary design, without losing sight of the attention to detail and the origin of the brand.

Rugiano means “fashionable today, but also in 50 years” and the secret of this company, explains Alberto proudly, is in people.

‘Cause no matter how the technology evolves, there are things that can only be done by human hands.

Longhi: fifty years of elegance in Italian design

A family business between tradition and innovation

Reliability, uniqueness and elegance are the pillars on which the great history of Longhi rests. A story that spans more than half a century in the world of contemporary design furniture, entirely “Made in Italy”, and which holds firm to its family identity, which it sees as an immeasurable value.

A Made in Italy tradition

Founded in Meda, in the province of Monza Brianza, Lombardy – Italy, Longhi has long produced exclusive furnishing accessories for the domestic market. Each of its pieces is a handmade work of art, often costumized, proudly respecting traditional craftsmanship. Customisation, taken to a very high level, guarantees maximum Made in Italy quality through rigorous in-house controls.

The heart of Longhi are its professionals, masters in their field, loyal to the company for over twenty years, who work with passion and professionalism to turn your every dream into reality.

A pioneering beginning

The first step was a bold leap into the world of interior doors and woodwork of the highest standard, in which Longhi was unrivalled. Pioneers in this field, they’ve continued to grow, increasingly meeting the needs of their customers.

The turning point, however, came with the second generation, who perceived the growing demand for luxury across the border. Then came the time when a customer asked to furnish his entire house in the company’s unmistakable style: this gave a further push to expansion, covering the furnishing of every nook and cranny of the home, except the kitchen.

From external stimulus to project: “Breath Collection”

The watchword in every accessory and design is “elegance”. Whether it is a hotel lobby, a lake house or a penthouse in New York, this aspect is always central.

When you turn to Longhi, you’re looking for a sober, chic atmosphere that reflects your essence and authentic values, to be shared with those you love. But Longhi has a talent for capturing external stimuli and translating them into new collections with unique and distinctive designs: the “Breath Collection”, born at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a tangible example.

This collection, with its soothing and welcoming style, celebrates the end of a difficult period, full of stress and uncertainty.

Ready to light up the world with timeless design

Longhi’s future is rich in projects. Next December, a flagship store will open in Vienna (Austria), followed by openings in 2024 in Ha Noi (Vietnam), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and London (UK).

In addition, shop-in-shops will see the light in Beirut (Lebanon), Doha (Quatar) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), following in the footsteps of those in the prestigious locations of Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Dakar (Senegal), Miami (Florida), New York (USA), Oslo (Norway) and Amsterdam (Netherlands).

Credits: Photographs courtesy of Longhi Spa.

Discovering the soul of Riva 1920

He isn’t a life mentor, but he daily spreads important messages through his work.

Passionate and meticulous, Maurizio Riva takes care of his products from the first to the last stage of manufacture. Born in 1954, the president of the Riva 1920, puts his soul into every inch of his company, where he himself makes sure that everything works and is in place.

We meet him at Riva Center in Cantù, in the province of Como, surrounded by the scent of wood and “order”, which is a key word for him.

The Riva Center

Showroom

The showroom covers 1,200 smq Among the most striking pieces is the “Draft Horse: Peace and Hope,” more than three meters tall and made for Expo in 2015.

In addition to solid wood pieces from the Riva 1920 collections, you can admire the so-called “Workers’ Bicycles”, a private collection, purchased by Maurizio Riva himself, dating back to the early 1900s.

Pangea Lab

The Pangea Lab is located on the top floor of the Riva Center. Designed as a multifunctional space, this is where the Company organizes his training events and conferences.

Inside, you can see the Pangea Table designed by Michele de Lucchi for Expo 2015.

The table is inspired by the continent Pangea, which originally included all the land surface.

Also located along the walls is a xylotheque, which contains about 900 different woods from around the world.

Wood Museum

The Wood Museum houses a collection of machines and tools that is unique in Europe. The pieces on display are, in fact, more than 5,000.

Standing out above them all, is the Antico table with an iron base designed by Renzo Piano.

This table is 12 m long and is made of 48000-year-old Kauri wood from New Zealand.

Leaving his building, we feel that this special carpenter and his story left a mark on us too. We come back home, after visiting the entire Showroom, the Production Units, the exclusive Wood Museum and sitting at the Pangea Table, created for Expo 2015.

We bring with us the honor of having walked among millennial woods and the awareness that, whatever happens, we’ll get up just like the spinning top.

Thanks to Cinzia Porro, Marketing and Communication Manager at Riva 1920.

How to buy high quality Italian furniture ten useful tips

Buying high quality Italian furniture can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it can also be a complex undertaking if you don’t have an interior designer who takes care of your project and a trusted supplier that helps you to select.

Here are some useful tips to help you choose and buy high-end Italian furniture.

1. List of needs

Amura Palmo

Amura: Palmo

Before shopping, make a list of the furniture you want. This way you can focus on priorities and select the furniture that best meets your needs. The list helps you a lot during the selection phase, so don’t underestimate it!

2. Design that fits your style

Sovet: Arkos

When choosing furniture, make sure it fits your style. Italian decor is known for its elegant and sophisticated design, so choose furniture that fits your personal preferences. There are many different styles to choose from, you will surely find the right one for you.

3. Space

MisuraEmme: Palo Alto

Before buying a piece of furniture, measure the space where it is to be placed and make sure you have adequate space to be able to use it.

For example, if you have to buy a wardrobe, you need to leave a free area in front of it, to allow the doors and drawers to open without problems. For chairs, sofas, and armchairs, make sure the furniture you choose fits the size of your space and that people can sit comfortably.

4. Functionality

Roberti: Atollo Day Bed

When choosing furniture, consider its functionality and usefulness. You can select products with a refined design that offer a perfect combination of functionality and aesthetics. This is a good way to enjoy your home and surprise your guests at the same time.

5. Materials

Riva 1920: Craftsmanship

High-end Italian furniture is known for the very high quality of the materials used. To choose products that will last a long time, also make sure that the furniture is well made and well assembled.

6. Colors and fabrics

Giorgetti: Production

Choose colors and fabrics that suit your environment. The best Italian manufacturers use high quality padding and the skilful use of materials such as leather and velvet have made Italian furniture famous all over the world. So, in addition to the colors you like, also choose upholstery that fits your lifestyle.

7. Variants

Secolo: Pingu X Side Table

You must follow this advice very carefully, because it’s really important!

Many furnishing products are available in different variants, so carefully evaluate the different solutions, dimensions and finishes. These characteristics are very often decisive, not only for the aesthetics, but also for the price.

When making comparisons between different variations of the same product or between different suppliers, always be sure to dig into the product details.

8. Brands

Choose only Italian furniture manufacturers and suppliers you can trust.

At Salbini we select the best furniture brands that guarantee high quality materials, workmanship and construction. We also ensure that the company choices of the producers respect the best environmental sustainability procedures. Natural resources are not infinite and it is our duty to take care of the earth.

9. Get ahead of the times

Salbini: Shipping warehouse

Decide precisely when you need the furniture and start the selection right away. In this way you will not have to settle for the availability of the local retailer’s warehouse, and you will be able to have a wider choice, as happens with us at Salbini. You can even have a bespoke product made just for you!

Furthermore, if you decide to import the furniture directly from Italy, consider the time required for shipping, delivery and assembly.

10. Budget

miniforms: Botera Sofa

miniforms: Botera Sofa

Before buying, plan your budget and keep in mind the price of high quality Italian furniture. There are many options available, so choose furniture that fits your budget and meets your needs.

In summary

Purchasing high-quality Italian furniture takes research and planning. Make sure you choose reliable manufacturers, invest in quality, consider functionality, respect the environment and plan your budget.

By following these tips, you will be able to buy high-end Italian design furniture that perfectly suits your needs and style.

Cover image: Longhi Cohen

“Wood is a natural, noble and elegant material, suitable for various locations and different styles.”

To talk about it, we asked Marco Merolla, Sales Manager for Itlas and Expert in Wood Floors and Claddings for Salbini, who has been working in the wooden floor industry for twenty years.

Marco Merolla

“With its many qualities, timber floor improve life inside any home.”

If you want to buy a wood floor, you should first have a precise idea of the type you need

“All products are aesthetically pleasing, but it is important that you choose the product with the best technical features for your home.”

Itlas: “Tavole del Piave”

Don’t worry about maintenance and cleaning.

You’ll just have to use any vacuum cleaner and wash it with a little water and a neutral detergent.

“So, enjoy its comfort and forget about anything else!”

Esadesign art and passion for design mirrors

Esadesign was born from the will and intuition of its founders to express their passion for glass through design

We talked about it with Luna Pavone, one of the founders and company manager.

“Passion supported by several years of experience for a raw material with a unique charm that they find in its malleability but at the same time resistance.”

The roots of Esadesign are deep and linked to the territory of Monza and Brianza, in Lombardy, where craftsmanship and tradition come together to give life to the typical excellence of Made in Italy.

Corporate values ​​of Esadesign

“Human value is certainly what we are closest to, it is a precious and indispensable contribution in all phases of the production processes.”

Another no less important value is the protection of the environment, that brings Esadesign to improve every day with the aim of achieving ever better sustainability standards.

What is the essential element in the design of a mirror?

“An essential element in a design mirror is the awareness of having to satisfy a need. Aesthetics in design will always have to meet functionality.”

Which collection are you most attached to and why?

“It’s difficult to answer, each collection brings with it elements and experiences that do not fade but remain and contribute to a personal and intellectual enrichment.”

Specular Collection

Specular comes to life thanks to the will of creating mirrors of absolute excellence gathering a secular tradition in glass processing.

The “Specular” collection is characterized by luxury finishes and contemporary lines. It has an incredible ability to adapt to different contexts thanks to its sinuous and seductive lines.

Can Esadesign also make customized mirrors?

Esadesign can make customized mirrors evaluating the needs of the customer.

Italy and Australia

“A professional synergy and a bond of mutual esteem and trust. A bond born thanks to the appreciation of the Italian tradition in this sector and the opening of Australian culture towards the aesthetics and lines of Italian design and beyond.”

Credits: Photographs courtesy of Esadesign.

Visit to Riva 1920 in January 2023

Our visit to Riva 1920 in January 2023 to let our South Korean partners appreciate the production units, the Riva Center and the Wood Museum.

Riva 1920 combines craftsmanship and technology for the production of entirely made in Italy wooden furniture, whose longevity is essential for sustainable development.

Guerra Vanni: bespoke luxury furniture

Guerra Vanni was founded in the 1960, in San Pietro di Morubio (VR), immediately setting on the luxury furniture sector.

“Since 1962 we have been producing furniture and furnishing accessories for homes all over the world. Roots in tradition, contemporary vision, international design, craftsmanship: these are our distinctive traits.”

Family business. From left: Jenny, Vanni and Giada Guerra.

Made in Italy

Guerra Vanni is synonymous with Made in Italy. It was born in an area which has always been known and appreciated for the artisan production of furniture. Manual skills and attention to detail handed down by grandparents and great-grandparents combines with the typical Made in Italy mentality, to guarantee quality and good taste.

Hand crafted decoration

Customized projects

Guerra Vanni creates customized projects. The most stunning furniture doesn’t just happen. It is carefully thought, designed and crafted. And this is exactly the ethos behind Guerra Vanni.

“The starting point of every collaboration is always your dream: how did you imagine your room? How would it make you feel comfortable and at home? It’s from this information that a detailed map of the area is created, and a 3D project is born. In this way, you can touch the final result right away.”

“We like to reflect a genuine connection with our clients and lifestyle: the colors they love, the type of wood and the materials they prefer. It’s only up to us to adapt their preferences perfectly to the style of the furniture we make.”

Best projects

In Guerra Vanni the team establishes a relationship of trust and respect with every customer.

“Customers like Mrs Silvia of the Los Angeles project are the greatest satisfaction for us. After 15 years, last year she contacted us to renew her house in contemporary style.”

Guerra Vanni in the world

Today Guerra Vanni is a reference point in Italy and in the world thanks to its classic collection, synonymous with tradition and nobility, and to the contemporary, fresh, youthful, and daily collection.

Over the years, the team has specialized in the characteristics and needs of each country. From America to Asia, passing through Africa and even Australia: Guerra Vanni is everywhere where craftsmanship, good taste and elegance are sought.

Credits: Photographs courtesy of Guerra Vanni.

Roberti outdoor

Roberti was founded as a family business in 1959 and the production processes take place mainly in Italy, in the Veneto region.

The ability of an expert craftsmanship combined with modern processes and technology and the high-quality materials, allows to achieve excellent quality standards.

Materials

Aluminum and stainless steel with high quality powder coating treatment, fibreglass, HPL and a special outdoor cushion system are only some of the many new materials introduced in the Roberti production to guarantee for long life in the outdoor space.

All the weaving materials used by Roberti are resistant to the atmospheric agents, bear easily thermical shocks, are long lasting and of easy maintenance.

Oasi

Oasi is a proposal with an exclusive style.

Round canopy lounger dedicated to relaxation and inspired by the breeze and the soft shapes of nature.

In the new Forest finish for a feeling of full immersion in a natural environment or in the delicate White finish. Oasi is a perfect outdoor shelter, which with the countless ropes knotted to the structure is able to redefine outdoor spaces and fascinate touching the senses thanks to its harmonies of color.

Gravity

Gravity is a cozy, swing, outdoor sofa with colorful cushions, playful combinations of colors and designs, perfect as patio furniture and garden furniture. It can be also a luxury outdoor armchair to relax.

Design and comfort are combined to create cozy and refined corners both for residential and contract. It is available in three new combinations: with hanging ropes, with supporting frame and with sunshade.

Charme

Charme is a collection of innovative elegance, with a light and enveloping design, where the rope is emphasized in the backs of chairs, armchairs, sofas and rocking chairs. Its geometry created by the different tensions of the weave adapts naturally to the body, offering an amazing feeling of comfort.

The elements are offered in the warm Bronze finish or in the classic White. The table with a dynamic shape and the small tables complete the line and suggest comfortable environments for both exterior and interior.

Sovet: glassmaking tradition and contemporary design

After our visit to the company in December 2021 and the meeting with the team at the Salone del Mobile Milano 2022, we dedicate an in-depth study to Sovet, which blends the tradition of Italian manufacturing art and the inspirations of contemporary design, to give life to furnishing elements that speak an original, elegant and multifaceted language.

Sovet 

Sovet was founded in the late 80s. Later in the early 2000s it started its collaboration with important international designers, choosing to combine the glass with other materials.

From “New shapes for glass” to “New shapes for design“, in the last 30 years the company has seen constant growth to transform itself from a company identified with glass to a 360-degree design company.

Tradition and innovation

The creative use of industrial processes, the highest quality raw materials and the meticulous works performed by local workers allow Sovet to get collections of high quality and 100% Made in Italy.

Sovet combines experience, technology and strict selection of the materials in its production processes, characterized by the highest quality levels. Its production ranges from the use of glass, proposed only in its purest extralight version, to the use of steel, aluminium, ceramic and wood. Entirely made in Italy, Sovet products are exported to over 70 countries worldwide.

Life in Sovet

During the Salone del Mobile “Life in Sovet” was presented: it is a journey through the historical architectures that have culturally marked the evolution of Italian living in recent centuries.

Life in Sovet wants to express the values of the Sovet brand, its innovative and minimalist style at the same time, the desire to create a new culture of living spaces in the name of refined shapes and materials.

Slim sideboard

One of the absolute Sovet novelties is the Slim sideboard, a natural evolution that completes this premium collection.

The rounded edges of wooden elements perfectly blend with the aluminium structure. The various finishes available for the top create new solutions and contrasts.

Arkos

The Arkos table designed by Gianluigi Landoni is another important novelty. It stems from a desire to revive the atmosphere of Italian home interiors of the 1950s.

The aerodynamic lines and curved tensions of its shape are inspired by the designs of Ico Parisi, in line with the symbolic style of Italian furniture in those years. Arkos stands out for the distinct structural nudity of its X- or Y-shaped legs with its long, slender shape. 

Campos

The Campos collection designed by Altherr Désile Park expands with a range of coffee tables outlined by the graphic and minimalist sign of the structure.

The combination of ceramic and mirror finishes for the tops creates a refined balance for furnishing in contemporary style and recalls the concept already introduced with the mirror.  The subdivision of the surface, in the top for the coffee table, in the mirror for the inclined part, offers new inspiration and functionality for interior design.

Outdoor collection

With the outdoor collection Sovet wants to highlight the strong desire of Sovet to offer genuine ‘New shapes for life’ also for outdoor spaces.

A series of proposals ranging from the Slim and Kodo collection with Iroko wooden slats to the new Keyah seat designed by Gianluigi Landoni: a balanced stainless steel chair ensures excellent ergonomics, providing well-being and comfort with a polyurethane cushion that easily attaches to the structure. The aim is to create durable products, a basic principle of sustainability.