A collection that goes beyond a single type of product celebrates a holistic approach to interiors and offers creative interpretation of the finest details, making each new product from B&B Italia’s new range absolutely exquisite.
As we celebrate the home of modern design in our landmark Italian issue for Spring 24, we take a closer look at a brand focused on celebrating the novelties and the future of design, but also reflecting on its heritage, and all the firsts, innovations, and products that have become true icons across the world.
This year’s Milan Design Week will see a new chapter for the prestigious brand that will unveil not only its latest pieces, but it will also tell the story of what was before, tracing B&B Italia’s path through time, and highlighting valuable collections that have changed the history of design and revolutionised the concept of how we live. A marriage of heritage and innovation, here’s a glimpse at B&B Italia’s latest products celebrating past, present, and future.
Dambodue – an elegant sofa with a presence
‘Dambodue is a sofa with a lot of presence, but at the same time silent, as elegant things should be,’ explains Piero Lissoni, Artistic Director at B&B Italia. ‘It is very architectural and with great personality despite following this law, which is fundamental for me, of understatement,’ he adds. Dambodue is the new member of the Dambo sofa family, with a generous, geometric shape and richly upholstered back and armrests that ensure both comfort and functionality.
The seats rest close to the floor, supported at the base by a bronzed nickel painted profile which gives the piece an added elegant edge. ‘It has presence but it is understatement, it has physicality but it is understatement, it has the dimension of architecture but it is understatement,’ adds Piero, highlighting the perfect aesthetic and functional balance of this piece which you can admire for yourself at the brand’s Milan Design Week showcase.
Isos – a minimalist table with pencil like legs
The Isos table is designed at the intersection of transparency and visual lightness. Its beauty lies in the thoughtful details that make one lean in and take a closer look, such as the cylindrical legs with an elegant design detail.
‘The Isos table has legs cut at 35 degrees. As if it were a pencil, I pointed the legs at the nook where the tops rest on them to lessen the impact and to exaggerate their static and architectural quality,’ explains Piero. The rounded edges of the tabletop add a touch of softness to the design, ‘but the interesting thing is the tension that is built between these pencils-columns and the top,’ adds the Artistic Director.
The Isos dining table can be made in a variety of materials, making it a piece that can be suited to any interior, and any taste. The legs are available in black Marquinia marble, white Carrara marble, oak wood in different finishes - light brushed, black brushed, grey - to be combined with the top in extra light transparent glass. Isos is also available entirely in wood - with top and legs in light brushed, black brushed or grey oak – adding a touch of warmth and a natural element to a space.
Assiale – a distinctive table with a contemporary character
This stand-out table comes in two versions: extendable and closed, and it was inspired by the structural idea of a bridge. ‘It is a suspended object and like any bridge it can have two faces: there is the bridge that stands still and the other that expands. It came to me thinking about the bridge that opens in the movie Blues Brothers, when they are making one of their first escapes, this thing fascinated me a lot,’ points out Piero.
The extendable table (the 210 cm top extends up to 294 cm, while the 250 cm top reaches 334 cm) is available with a glossy or satin lacquered finish in all the colours of the B&B Italia’s collection.
The fixed table, which comes in two sizes (250 cm and 294 cm), is made of eye catching Levanto red marble. ‘I love the juxtaposition of a streamlined, purified look within such a monumental appearance. This table will be a true stand-out piece in any home,’ says Pip Rich, Global Editor in Chief of Livingetc.
Omoi – an armchair designed for conversation
Inspired by the iconic Scandinavian design of the early 1950s and enriched by the designer Naoto Fukasawa’s unique style, the Omoi is a chair characterised by soft curves and bold lines. Its enveloping shape is reminiscent almost of a moulded being and is designed with the purpose of encouraging meaningful conversation, rather than purely relaxing.
‘An armchair with the charm of a living creature, like an animal that makes people feel at home just by its presence. It is like a dog or cat lying quietly in the living room, regardless of the situation or location. It fits well in different kinds of spaces, from dining rooms to living rooms, but also in other rooms and hallways,’ explains Naoto.
The integrated armrests, a hallmark of the designer, give a unique look full of character to this accent chair. Upholstered in fabric or leather, with decorative stitching, it features extremely accurate finishes and details while the oak legs in various finishes - clear brushed, black brushed, grey – add a touch of warmth to the design. We can’t think of a better conversation starter piece for a modern living room.
Narinari – an armchair shaped like delicate origami
Designed by Tiziano Guardini and Luigi Ciuffreda, the Narinari armchair is truly special, and its inspiration further adds to the sense that this is more than just a piece of furniture. It’s something more resembling art.
‘Narinari draws inspiration from the Sea Eagle, an aquatic animal free to choose its element as it is also capable of flight,’ explain the designers. ‘It becomes the symbol of a connection that respects individual spaces, where two entities only brush against each other along the perimeter, each keeping its own identity and autonomy intact. Two surfaces chasing each other as if in a continuous game, and as a pure expression of a mother nature ready to welcome us in an enveloping embrace,’ they add.
Upholstered in raw cut felt, with meticulous detailing and finishing, the small accent chair has an unusual, origami-like shape, with two surfaces that seem to be chasing each other. This piece of distinctive character is a unique presence in B&B Italia’s collection.
Allure O’Dot – new additions to the iconic collection of tables
Allure O’Dot is a system of versatile and functional tables and coffee tables with lenticular shapes composed of five pieces in different sizes and heights. The iconic shapes of the tops and bases play with transparency and boast a dynamic mixture of colors and materials.
‘For the Allure O’ table collection, which has become iconic, I designed a new version of bistro, coffee, and side tables. I called them Allure O’ Dot because their glass top is marked with a central graphic inspired by the 1960s. The colour, the sign and the shapes make up a collection of objects for all situations. Objects that are always protagonists,’ explains the designer, Monica Armani.
The solid looking bases are made of lacquered polyurethane, while the tops offer a contrast in smoky or transparent glass, beautifully adapting to multiple functions and uses. The result of Monica Armani’s vision, Allure O’ Dot is available in three colours, and is a perfect combination of elegance and modernity merged into a single, balanced product.
Learn more about B&B Italia’s collections.
