Ugo La Pietra for Boffi, Original Protoype of "Ballerina" Consolle in Wood, 1987

Ugo La Pietra is an Italian architect, designer and artist and he defines himself as a "researcher of visual art". His activity as a researcher began during the 60s when he founded "Il gruppo del Cenobio" (the group of Cenobio) with Agostino Ferrari, Ettore Sordini, Angelo Verga and Arturo Vermi. It was a brief, but intense experience and they represented the only group from Milan who developed the so-called signic movement in contrast with the other cutting-edge groups specialized in pop art, objects, kinetics. La Pietra experienced the synaesthesia between the arts. La Pietra took part in more than 900 personal and collective exhibitions and he exhibited his works in the most important Italian and foreign museums.

Fratelli Boffi is an Italian furniture maker with a rich history of manufacturing excellence and whimsical design. The company's armchairs, side tables and cabinets feature high-end yet playful modern and Baroque-inspired silhouettes. Each piece contains at least one delightfully surprising element, whether it’s an unconventional shape or a bold color combination.

Artist and woodworker Carlo Boffi established Fratelli Boffi in 1928. Boffi had come to fame in the 1920s for carving exquisite chairs in the Louis XV and Louis XVI styles. He opened a furniture factory in Brianza, where he took commissions from all over Italy. In 1953, the company was passed down to Boffi's sons, Federico, Roberto and Michele. The second Boffi generation continued to run a successful business and even opened a new factory in Lentate sul Seveso.

In the 1980s, Fratelli Boffi took an avante-garde direction thanks to collaborative projects with Italian nonconformist architect and designer Aldo Cibic. The company became known for making furniture in sculptural, eye-catching shapes. The ornate bases of Fratelli Boffi coffee tables and its architectural sofas are excellent examples.

In the 2000s, Fratelli Boffi embarked on numerous collaborations with other celebrated designers. Each year, the company presents new and exciting collections by names like Marc Krusin, Christophe de la Fontaine, Nigel Coates, Giopato & Coombes, Philippe Bestenheider and Ferruccio Laviani.

Today, Fratelli Boffi operates a major contracting division that has been involved in prestigious hotel, office and residential projects around the world. Cibic continues to use Fratelli Boffi furniture in his home designs, as do New York–based designers Greg Dufner and Daniel Heighes Wismer.

On 1stDibs, find Fratelli Boffi seating, tables, storage cabinets and more.