The brainchild of the Fratelli Gugliermetto company, Gufram was born in 1966 in Turin, Italy, massively inspired by the avant-garde artistic culture that reigned in Europe during the 1960s and '70s. The brand is known for its CACTUS coat stand and sculptural seating such as the Pratone chair as well as other massive, innovative pieces that fall somewhere between art and furniture.
Starting in the mid-1960s, proponents of Italian Radical Design — which included forward-looking collectives like Archizoom and Studio 65 — broke with formality and convention by fusing the joy of Pop art with the systems of mass production.
One of the brands that formed as a result of these experiments was Gufram, a manufacturer at the forefront of the country’s Radical Design movement. The Gugliermetto brothers teamed up with emerging artists to harness exciting new materials — among them, polyurethane foam, which was originally used in the transportation industry as insulation to keep buses and trains warm.
Despite being credited for revolutionizing Italian design, until the mid-1970s, Gufram was largely unknown outside the small Italian town where it was founded. Nearly six years after the brand’s inception, though, word got out about a furniture brand transforming polyurethane foam into gigantic works of art. So, Gufram brought its playful and witty design concept across the Atlantic to New York’s Museum of Modern Art, where it had its first international show.
Gufram produced much of the Pop furniture — the CACTUS coat rack by Guido Drocco and Franco Mello and the Bocca sofa, in the shape of big red lips, by Studio 65 — that came to define the Anti-Design movement. (Through a relationship with Gufram, the latter was imported to the United States by Charles Stendig, a collector and pioneering importer who helped spark America’s interest in furniture from Finland, Switzerland and Italy during the 1960s and ‘70s.)
Although furniture can be serious business, it’s just as often playful, provocative, energizing and even liberating. Perhaps nothing embodies these characteristics better than postmodern Italian design. And one of the most iconic pieces to originate during Italy’s fertile period of postmodern furniture design is the Pratone chair, designed in 1971 by Giorgio Ceretti, Piero Derossi and Riccardo Rosso.
Representing a magnified portion of a grassy meadow, the Pratone chaise provides a lounging place for an individual or a group. “It is so unlike anything else that it stands out and is still iconic after 50 years,” said Charley Vezza, Gufram’s global creative orchestrator.
Made of painted polyurethane foam, the Pratone chair immediately became the symbol of a new and different approach to interiors when it debuted.
Gufram has become a favorite of the international art crowd and glitterati, and its products have made their way to the world’s most renowned museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vitra Design Museum and more.
British fashion designer Paul Smith and American multi-hyphenate artist A$AP Rocky have collaborated with Gufram over the years. Interior designer Tony Ingrao has called the Pratone chair one of his favorite works and featured the larger-than-life piece in an exhibition he curated at R & Company in 2016.
Find new and vintage Gufram chairs, sofas, mirrors and other Gufram furniture for sale on 1stDibs.
$1,900 / item
Gufram Softcrete Cube Ottoman by Ross Lovegrove
By Gufram Furniture, Ross Lovegrove
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
To transform concrete in a soft and comfortable material, so comfortable as to become a couch. From Auguste Perret’s pioneering approach, moving through Le Corbusier’s Copernican rev...
Foam
$12,500 / item
Gufram Softcrete Sofa Set by Ross Lovegrove
By Gufram Furniture, Ross Lovegrove
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
To transform concrete in a soft and comfortable material, so comfortable as to become a couch. From Auguste Perret’s pioneering approach, moving through Le Corbusier’s Copernican rev...
Foam
$4,900 / item
Gufram Softcrete Central Seat by Ross Lovegrove
By Ross Lovegrove, Gufram Furniture
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
To transform concrete in a soft and comfortable material, so comfortable as to become a couch. From Auguste Perret’s pioneering approach, moving through Le Corbusier’s Copernican rev...
Foam
$5,500 / item
Gufram Softcrete Anglular Seat by Ross Lovegrove
By Ross Lovegrove, Gufram Furniture
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
To transform concrete in a soft and comfortable material, so comfortable as to become a couch. From Auguste Perret’s pioneering approach, moving through Le Corbusier’s Copernican rev...
Foam
$4,147 / set
H 27.56 in W 34.26 in D 26.78 in
Ligne Roset by Michel Ducaroy Togo Orange Armchair and Footstool, Set of Two
By Ligne Roset, Michel Ducaroy
Located in Basildon, London
The iconic Togo sofa, originally designed by Michel Ducaroy for Ligne Roset in 1973, has become a design Classic. This two-piece modular set is incredibly versatile and comprises of...
Fabric
Postmodern Sectional Sofa Bench by Steelcase
By Steelcase
Located in New York, NY
Phenomenal sectional sofa, bench, or single chair set made by Steelcase, circa 2002. The pieces have tubular chrome feet, which support a thick and heavy board, to which a thick upho...
Chrome
Ottoman-Zebra Hide Cube
Located in New York, NY
This Zebra hide cube ottoman provides a true ‘out of Africa’ sense to any space. Each ottoman has been upholstered with ethically and sustainably-sourced ...
Zebra Hide
$10,612Sale Price / item|20% Off
H 25.2 in W 96.07 in D 96.07 in
Pixel Large Seating Pouf in Extra Kami A1 Upholstery by Sergio Bicego
By Sergio Bicego
Located in Brooklyn, NY
From the creativity of Sergio Bicego comes Pixel sofa, featuring a series of elements that can be freely combined, thanks to an exclusive connector created ...
Upholstery
Forsyth Zebra Cube Ottoman
Located in SAINT LOUIS, MO
Part of the Forsyth Originals Collection. The Forsyth Cube Ottoman is designed and handcrafted from our zebra hides. This is a versatile piece for any room adding natural texture and...
Zebra Hide
Springbok Hide Cube Ottoman
Located in New York, NY
Hand-made in Africa with ethically-sourced Springbok hide, each Springbok Hide Cube Ottoman is created with four unique hides chosen to craft a unique, contemporary piece. The indivi...
Hide
Ottoman-Zebra Hide Cube
Located in New York, NY
This Zebra hide cube ottoman provides a true ‘out of Africa’ sense to any space. Each ottoman has been upholstered with ethically and sustainably-sourced Burchell's Zebra hide. Due t...
Zebra Hide
Wildebeest Hide Cube Ottoman
Located in New York, NY
Upholstered with stunning African Wildebeest hide, this cube ottoman brings a piece of African culture to any space. Ethically-sourced Wildebeest hide naturally varies in color, text...
Hide
$5,995 / set
H 30 in W 33.75 in D 42 in
10 Piece Set of Woodard Patio Pool Set Chantilly Rose 4 Chairs Sofa 5 Tables
By Russell Woodard
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Rare and spectacular 10 pc set of extraordinary iron patio outdoor furniture by Russell Woodard c 1955. Sofa, 4 chairs and 5 tables 3 with obscure glass tops. Set has full cushions which may need replacement. I am going to wash a few and see how they turnout. Will update. Believe the pattern to be Chantilly Rose, however I have never seen it with branch like forged iron. Each leg or back brace is scribbed like a tree branch with treelike, bark, cast into the iron. Truly a work of art. The back legs on all the chairs and sofa, extend back about 14 inches and give the chairs, sofa a pronounced and unique look, the most comfortable chairs ever! And in excellent vintage condition with it needing a paint job. The iron is well preserved. Dimensions are: 4 Chairs 42.5d x 33.75w x 30h x 18seat height Sofa 42.5d x 78w x 29h x 16 seat height 2 square mesttop tables 16 x 16 x 15h 2 rectangular tables, glasstops 17.25 x 24.5 x 21h Square end table glass top...
Iron
Large cube ottoman/ coffee table
Located in Old Town Orange, CA
Cube ottoman 69”W x 42”D x 18H. Beautiful Custom Made Cube ottoman. Made from a vintage turkish hemp and wool rug, in an off white, with original beautiful hand tied stitched center ...
Hemp
Contemporary Pouf 'Studio' by Norr11, Barnum Bouclé 24
By Tommy Hyldahl, Norr11, Kristian Sofus Hansen
Located in Paris, IDF
Contemporary Pouf 'Studio' by Kristian Sofus Hansen & Tommy Hyldahl for Nor11 Measures: W. 48 cm / D. 47 cm / H. 47 cm / Seat Height 47 cm Modular sofa: assemble different modules to create your composition Wide range of fabrics and colors CAT 1: Fame CAT 2: Barnum, Breeze Fusion, Savoy CAT 3: Fiord, Hallingdal, Savanna, Zero*, Steelcut Trio, Moss, Safire CAT 4: Baru CAT 5: Dunes, Spectrum/Noir Introducing Studio, the newest sofa landscape in the NORR11 collection - a tribute to a timeless era of the 1970s and its expressive aesthetics. Featuring a versatile but simple system of modules, appearing in limitless options to form numerous settings, shapes and styles to adhere to all types of environments. Whether for a small living setting or spacious public site. Studio is defined by its bold fluted upholstery characteristics inspired by late 1970s sofa styles...
Bouclé, Foam
$3,068 / item
H 18.51 in W 18.9 in D 18.51 in
Contemporary Pouf 'Studio' by Norr11, Leather Spectrum Mineral
By Tommy Hyldahl, Norr11, Kristian Sofus Hansen
Located in Paris, IDF
Contemporary Pouf 'Studio' by Kristian Sofus Hansen & Tommy Hyldahl for Nor11 Measures: W. 48 cm / D. 47 cm / H. 47 cm / seat height 47 cm Modular sofa: assemble different modu...
Foam, Leather