"Koala" Sofa by Elizabeth Garouste & Mattia Bonetti, France, 1990s

Outlandish, whimsical and unique are only just a few words that can be used to describe the works of artist and furniture designer Mattia Bonetti. His imaginative pieces are marked by an unexpectedly successful marriage of peculiarity, sophistication and luxury. 

Born in 1952 in Lugano, Switzerland, Bonetti studied textile design at the Centro Scolastico per le Industrie Artistiche. In 1972, he moved to Paris, where he worked as a textile designer, stylist and photographer. As a photographer, Bonetti did shoots of miniature interiors — many of which he made himself. This eventually led to his developing a passion for furniture design. 

During the late 1970s, Bonetti’s fledgling career designing furniture skyrocketed after meeting French designer Elizabeth Garouste. Their first project together was designing the interiors of the restaurant Le Privilege and nightclub Le Palace in Paris, with both initiatives earning the pair critical acclaim for their artful blend of neo-Baroque style with prehistoric “Barbarian” elements. Bonetti and Garouste embarked on a design partnership that lasted more than 20 years before Bonetti decided to pursue a solo career in 2002.

Throughout the 2000s, Bonetti’s oeuvre has run the gamut, with the designer drawing inspiration from almost everywhere — UFOs, ancient Greece, children’s toys — nothing is off-limits. He uses an eclectic range of luxurious materials such as gold leaf, marble, rock crystal, acrylic, glass, fine woods and patinated bronze to create everything from side tables, wall mirrors and sofas to coffee tables, sideboards and armchairs. Bonetti assembles the materials in otherwise unlikely combinations. “I like to bring together materials that are very opposite,” he says. “The juxtaposition makes the character of each one strong.”

Bonetti’s reputation as a master of avant-garde design has yielded commissions for several notable projects. He has created pieces for the Metz Saint-Etienne Cathedral, partnered with decorator Jacques Grange for The Mark Hotel in New York City and designed interiors for the Hotel Cristal Champs Elysées in Paris.

Today, Bonetti’s works are held in the collections of many institutions such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the Centre Pompidou and Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

On 1stDibs, find a range of modern Mattia Bonetti tables, case pieces, storage cabinets and seating.