Masterpieces of Italian Design: focal points of the Living Room

The Toio lamp, designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos in 1962, is an unmistakable ready-made piece that skilfully combines a powerful car headlamp, a mass-produced transformer and deconstructed parts of a fishing rod. The assembly and modification of these industrial objects creates a new object with a new function: a floor lamp with indirect light that perfectly embodies the distinctive creative spirit of the Castiglioni family.

After an initial wariness towards the unrealistic idea of a chair made entirely of glass, Cini Boeri took up the challenge and in 1987 he designed Ghost for Fiam: an innovative project that became a reality. This sculptural and lightweight seat, created from a single curved and cut sheet of glass, is the perfect synthesis of design and technology.

The Lady armchair by Marco Zanuso, presented at the 9th edition of the Triennale di Milano in 1951, won the Gold Medal. It has sinuous and playful lines emphasised by a "bean shape" on slender legs. It immediately became an icon of design, whose success lied primarily in the industrial production process: the polyurethane foam revolutionised the upholstery technique leading to the creation of shapes that were previously unimaginable. Today the armchair has been reissued by Cassina under the name 720 Lady in the I Maestri collection, dedicated to modern design icons.

The Tavolo con Ruote, produced by FontanaArte and designed by Gae Aulenti, is the perfect example of design ingenuity: the replacement of a simple element transforms the very essence of the object and its intended use. Trolley wheels, industrial parts removed from their usual context, become the support of an essential crystal glass tabletop, creating an extraordinary ready-made designer table.

In 1964 Bruno Munari designed one of the three Falkland lamps: three simple metal rings shape an elastic fabric, thus defining the eye-catching design of the object. Since 2014, the famous "stocking lamp" is included in Artemide's Modern Classic collection.

Gio Ponti is one of the pioneers of 20th century architecture. Along with the famous architectural works, he produced several masterpieces in the furniture industry as well. The "Ponti style" identifies a way of life that emerged from six decades of the Italian designer's creative practice.

In 2016, Molteni&C together with Ponti's heirs created the "Heritage Collection", which includes furniture designed by Gio Ponti between 1935 and the 1970s: timeless designs and revisited editions that respect, renew and revive the designer's soul through technologies, materials and functional solutions that reaffirm the value of a newfound legacy and the vitality of the great master.

Camaleonda, the famous sofa system designed by Mario Bellini in 1970, has been renewed with innovative structural and sustainable solutions in 2020. A contemporary look embellishes a timeless design, which over the course of 50 years has established new, fascinating standards of elegance and aesthetics. The re-edition developed by the designer and B&B Italia maintains the key elements that have made it a contemporary classic: the generous squared seat, the backrest, the armrest and above all the distinctive capitonné effect of the upholstery. The result is an enchanting harmony of the rigorous squared module and the cosy roundness of the padding. Each element blends seamlessly with the others, creating new and dynamic geometries.