In 1966, Piero Ambrogio Busnelli cofounded C&B Italia, a modern Italian furniture manufacturer, with Cesare Cassina in northern Milan. From the outset, Busnelli and Cassina set about recruiting the most talented modernists in Italy to conceive of creative furnishings manufactured in modern ways. In the early 1970s, the company split, with Cassina founding his own eponymous firm and Busnelli taking leadership of what became B&B Italia.
For decades, Busnelli cultivated relationships with the world’s best design talent, resulting in furniture pieces that remain iconic today — be they Gaetano Pesce’s outwardly curvaceous Up seating (made for C&B, reintroduced by B&B) or tables from industrial designer Paolo Piva, each more sophisticated than the next in their geometrically complex steel-tube bases. B&B Italia earned four prestigious Compasso d’Oro design awards: in 1979 for Mario Bellini’s Le Bambole, in 1984 for the Sisamo wardrobe system by Studio Kairos, in 1987 for Antonio Citterio’s modular Sity sofa and, in 1989, the first award given to a manufacturing company itself.
Other notable names who designed for B&B Italia over the course of its 54-year history include Patricia Urquiola, Naoto Fukasawa, Zaha Hadid, Ettore Sottsass and Vincent Van Duysen, to name a very few. And while these names bring star power to the B&B brand, in many cases, it was B&B Italia who helped usher in their celebrity, fostering a wave of design talent on the world stage.
The company’s forward-thinking vision manifested in its own headquarters, too: In 1972, B&B Italia tapped architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers to design a steel-framed, postmodern-style home for the brand, whose crisscrossing metal exoskeleton is reminiscent of the pair’s Centre Pompidou in Paris, which was built at roughly the same time. Now, B&B Italia manages a contract division and outdoor section as well as its residential arm, and it also controls production for Maxalto, a brand spun out with furniture designs by Antonio Citterio.
At 1stDibs, find a range of vintage B&B Italia furniture — including sofas, cocktail tables and more.
| Average Sold Price |
| $9,984 |
| Styles |
| Materials |
| Related Creators |
$5,649
H 29.53 in W 90.56 in D 33.47 in
Jacquard fabric Sofa, Mario Bellini, "Le stelle" B&B Italia, 1970
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Puglia, Puglia
Sofa by Italian designer Mario Bellini, produced by B&B Italia, model "La Stelle". Made with a metal frame and upholstered in the original linen and cotton jacquard fabric. The origi...
Metal
$14,064
H 28.75 in W 66.93 in D 35.44 in
Le Bambole 2-Seat Sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, 1970s, reupholstered
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Berlin, DE
The Bambole series stands as one of the defining statements of Italian design in the 1970s—an object that treats seating not as a frame with padding, but as a continuous upholstered...
Leather
$19,420
H 29.93 in W 90.56 in D 39.38 in
Le Bambole 3-Seater Sofa by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, 1970s
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in amstelveen, NL
An exceptional and highly collectible “Le Bambole” sofa designed by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia, one of the most celebrated icons of 20th-century Italian design. This authentic vint...
Cotton
$2,950
H 29.25 in W 83.25 in D 37.5 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa 'Coronado' Sofa in Butterscotch Leather, 1966
By B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This iconic 'Coronado' three-seater sofa, a testament to the revolutionary Italian Mid-Century Modern movement, was designed by the esteemed duo Afra & Tobia Scarpa for the world...
Steel
$14,550 / set
H 31.5 in W 140 in D 90 in
Two-Piece Sectional Sofa by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia, Italy Modern
By B&B Italia, Antonio Citterio
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Elegant two-piece sectional sofa designed by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia, Italy. This model showcases the clean-lined sophistication and timeless comfort that define Citterio’s d...
Steel
$10,498
H 25.6 in W 110.24 in D 59.06 in
"Tufty Time" sofa by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia, New wool Upholstery
By B&B Italia, Patricia Urquiola
Located in The Hague, NL
Beautifully designed and crafted "Tufty-Time" sofa designed by Patricia Urquiola and manufactured by B&B Italia. The lounge piece has been newly reupholstered high quality wool ...
Wool
Afra & Tobia Scarpa 'Coronado' Loveseat for B&B Italia, 1966
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Original 'Coronado' loveseat in butterscotch leather, designed in 1966 by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia. A celebrated design from the golden era of Italian Mid-Century -...
Leather
$1,250
H 29.25 in W 38 in D 37.5 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa Coronado Lounge Chair, Butterscotch Leather, 1966
By B&B Italia, Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Iconic 'Coronado' lounge chair in butterscotch leather; a hallmark of Italian design. It was designed in 1966 by design luminaries Afra & Tobia Scarpa for the world-renowned B&am...
Leather
| Sold Date | Sold Price | Category | Material | Creation Year | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| $9,984 |
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months |
| $1,000-$35,500 |
| Sold price range of items in the past 12 months |
Common wisdom used to declare the kitchen the hub of the house. These days, the living room seems to have assumed the role of domestic focal point. Unlike the Victorian parlor, stiffly furnished and reserved for guests, today’s living room is a central place for reading, conversation and, well, living, with furnishings that lend themselves to both casual lounging and elegant entertaining.
The Antwerp-based designer lends his unique touch to homes, boutiques and offices in Belgium, the United States and Germany, as well as furniture for B&B Italia and Molteni.