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 |
| $10,960 |
| Styles |
| Materials |
| Related Creators |
Paolo Piva “Alanda” Coffee Table for B&B Italia, Italy 1980s
By Paolo Piva, B&B Italia
Located in SOTTEVILLE-LÈS-ROUEN, FR
An exceptional “Alanda” coffee table by renowned Italian designer Paolo Piva, created for B&B Italia in 1981. Widely regarded as one of the most iconic expressions of Italian po...
Steel
$5,673
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
$10,800
H 28.15 in W 71.07 in D 32.49 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia Rare 'Polygonon' Dining Table
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia, dining table 'Polygonon', glass, electro-coated stainless steel, Italy, 1984 Behold this astonishing table with an aesthetically pleasing layout ...
Steel
$33,683 / set
H 26.38 in W 145.67 in D 72.84 in
Mario Bellini Camaleonda Sofa for B&B Italia, Sky Blue Velvet, 1972, Set of 6
By B&B Italia, Mario Bellini
Located in Vicenza, IT
Set of six Camaleonda modular sofa elements with backrest, designed by Mario Bellini for B&B Italia and produced in Italy in the 1970s. This iconic seating system is one of the most...
Velvet, Foam
$745 / item
H 30.71 in W 21.26 in D 21.66 in
Afra & Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia 'Dialogo Dessau' Dining Chairs
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia, 'Dialogo Dessau' dining chairs, chromed metal, plastic, Italy, 1974 The Dialogo Dessau chair, with its distinctiv...
Metal, Chrome
$745 / item
H 30.71 in W 21.26 in D 21.66 in
Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia 'Dialogo Dessau' Dining Chairs
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia, Dialogo Dessau dining chairs, chromed metal, plastic, Italy, 1974 The Dialogo Dessau chair, with its distinctive cantilevered base and integrat...
Metal, Chrome
Mario Bellini 'Le Bambole' Loveseat by B&B Italia, Suede, 1972
By Mario Bellini, B&B Italia
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Mario Bellini's 'Le Bambole' lounge chair for B&B Italia is one of the most recognizable silhouettes of 1970s Italian design. The chair's fully upholstered, pillow-like form has ...
Leather
$975 / item
H 30.71 in W 21.26 in D 21.66 in
Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia 'Dialogo Dessau' Dining Chairs
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa, B&B Italia
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Afra and Tobia Scarpa for B&B Italia, 'Dialogo Dessau' dining chairs, chromed steel, lacquered plastic, Italy, 1974 The Dialogo Dessau chair, with its distinctive cantilevered base ...
Steel, Chrome
| Sold Date | Sold Price | Category | Material | Creation Year | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| $10,960 |
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months |
| $693-$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.
