Today, I'm doing a most unusual thing: highlighting two leather sofas. I've never owned one, never even thought I would, and none of these would even fit through our door, BUT knowing how popular leather sofas are with my clients, I'd rather highlight a good one than a bad one (and BOY are there a lot of bad ones).
These guys are from Natuzzi, the family founded and run Italian leather sofa company, and they are brand new, just released this summer and only now hitting the stores. I took the pics at a press preview a few months back.
At the preview I RACED past the mammoth, contemporary sectionals that Natuzzi is known for, and was surprised to find these two sofa/chair designs in the very back of the showroom. The are different from other sofas I've seen in that they are made of AMAZINGLY soft leather and styled in a simpler, more interesting way. They're not cheap, but no leather is, so if you're on a hunt for a leather sofa, I'd check these out.
>> Natuzzi's US Website with dealer locator
The first sofa and chairs are called FRANK, and are very reminiscent of Le Corbusier's LC2 chair. In the showroom they were covered in a rich brown leather.
The second design, Domino (in burgundy leather), is bigger and blockier, but pretty much as classic as they come, and without any silly details. Again the leather is exceptionally soft and every cushion has micro perforations on the backside so that the air flows out easily when you sit down. Remember sitting on leather sofas that felt like sitting on a bubble?
I liked this little design feature: a slim bolster behind the back cushion provides a bit of extra support while the armrest can be lower all around. It separates it from your typical "Manhattan" style sofa and gives it a little Italian flair.
This thing I include only because it's a conversation piece. It's so not necessary. Fit for your inner Darth Vader, this is Natuzzi's "Sound Chair" (with ottoman), a big, plush leather swivel chair, the back wings have speakers planted into them so you can listen to your iPod or game in surround sound.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
How funny...my husband and I just spent this past Saturday in Room and Board sitting on their sofas and sectionals all day.
We ended up liking the loring in library coffee the best and hoping to get it soon.
http://www.roomandboard.com/rnb/product/detail.do?productGroup=20186
view bitdot's profile
Those are some great sofas - Natuzzi is a class act...
...but that chair reminds me of riding around in a friend's Fiero 20 years ago - the car had speakers in the seat headrests - that car always gave me a headache.
view bepsf's profile
We have a five-year-old Natuzzi sofa very similar in design to the Domino. At the risk of sounding like a downer, while it's a lovely-looking sofa, it's also very poorly made. The internal frame is made of hollow particleboard. We found this out when the frame within each arm of the sofa broke (on separate occasions), merely under the stress of someone leaning on it to get out up.
The first time (when the sofa was one year old), Natuzzi honored our warranty claim and had the frame repaired locally. We wrote it off as a fluke. The second time (a year later), Natuzzi refused to accept responsibility. Fortunately, the local store where we bought the sofa (Chintz & Company in Vancouver), who acted as the facilitator for the first claim, stepped in and took care of the second repair on their own dime. They were absolutely wonderful about it. At that time, they told us they'd actually stopped carrying Natuzzi furniture because they were handling far too many warranty claims, and they could no longer stand behind their products.
It turns out, Natuzzi no longer manufactures in Italy; instead, they've moved their manufacturing operations to China. This isn't bad in and of itself, but we were told they've also cheapened their designs, using cheap, hollow particleboard frames (we were told by the repairman that the internal construction of our sofa is exceptionally flimsy) instead of the solid wood Natuzzi used to use.
Just a word of warning to anyone considering buying Natuzzi (or any high-priced brand, really). Be sure to ask a LOT of questions about how the product is made. Don't assume, like we did, that because something is expensive and has a formerly reputable brand name, that it's a good product.
view TammyE's profile
"It turns out, Natuzzi no longer manufactures in Italy..."
Make that, WAS a class act.
Sigh...
view bepsf's profile
In Europe Natuzzi stores are located in industrial areas where the stores next door sell shoes for a fiver. Not really the kind of place I want to plunk down a few grand.
view La Vesigondine's profile
bitdot, i have R&B's Loring sofa and I love love love it. :-) so does my fiance. Good choice!
view kimg924's profile
Actually, Natuzzi is still manufactured in Italy. They have created 2 "branches", if you will, called Natuzzi Editions and Ital Sofa that are manufactured in China, Brazil, or Italy. They created these 2 categories to be produced at a lower cost, therefore lowering retail prices. You can still get a Natuzzi brand well-made product for a lower price. I have furniture from them that is over 10 years old, that I have NEVER once had a problem with.
view seemommarun's profile