B&B Italia
Major Italian design house founded 1966 in Novedrate, Como: indoor and outdoor collections by Lissoni, Citterio, Fukasawa and Barber Osgerby, read for the US buyer.
Sixty years of Italian design leadership.
B&B Italia was founded in 1966 by Piero Ambrogio Busnelli in Novedrate, Como province, and has become one of the most documented design houses in Italy. Its headquarters building, completed in 1972, was designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers before they built the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The company has won four Compasso d'Oro awards and produced more than a thousand designs since its founding.
Its catalogue covers both indoor and outdoor furniture, shaped by a long roster of collaborators: Antonio Citterio, Piero Lissoni, Naoto Fukasawa, Patricia Urquiola, Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, among others. For US buyers, collections reach the market through authorised dealers, with lead times that vary by line and finish.
A selection of lines.
Borea
Piero Lissoni's 2021 outdoor collection: a slim tubular aluminium frame, glazed lava-stone tabletops and recycled-polyester cushions. Winner of the 2022 Green Good Design Award.
The current collection.
Camaleonda
Modular sectional sofa designed by Mario Bellini in 1970 and re-issued in 2020, built from independent 90x90 cm seat, back and armrest blocks linked by a hook, ring and cable tensioning system so the modules can be freely unhooked and recombined.
Charles
Sofa system designed by Antonio Citterio in 1997 with a tubular steel internal frame, cold-shaped polyurethane padding and signature die-cast aluminum feet in an inverted L shape. The line spans in-line two and three seaters, chaise longue versions and corner configurations.
Tufty-Time
Modular sofa designed by Patricia Urquiola in 2005, a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional capitonne tufting. It is upholstered in fabric or leather with removable covers and configured from modular elements.
Up 2000
Armchair series designed by Gaetano Pesce in 1969, produced by polyurethane injection molding and upholstered in elastic fabric with anthropomorphic forms. The UP5_6 model pairs an enveloping armchair with a spherical ottoman tethered to it.
Grande Papilio
Enveloping armchair designed by Naoto Fukasawa in 2009, shaped around an inverted truncated cone with a high wing-like backrest that wraps the head, and a cover removable via a visible zipper. A matching footrest is available.
Borea
Outdoor two and three seater sofas designed by Piero Lissoni on a fluid, seamless tubular metal frame produced with metal-bending techniques borrowed from the aeronautical sector. The cushion padding is made from polyester fibre obtained from recycled PET bottles.
Alanda '18
Coffee table designed by Paolo Piva, the 2018 revisit of an iconic 1980s design, with a geodetic frame of painted steel rod recalling upturned pyramids and a glass top. It is offered in two sizes.
Allure O'
Dining table designed by Monica Armani in 2021 with a square or rectangular beveled-edge top in veneered or painted wood-fibre panel, optionally upgraded with back-painted glass or marble, on a truncated-pyramid base in hard polyurethane or curved multi-layered wood. It is offered in two sizes seating four to eight.
Alys
Leather-upholstered bed designed by Gabriele and Oscar Buratti, with a headboard of welcoming, protective shape featuring thin perimeter strips and a lengthwise seam where the leather is pinched at the base. The frame can be set at two heights via two supplied sets of feet.
Awa
Asymmetrical small side table designed by Naoto Fukasawa in 2009 with an integrated base and top, made in white Cristalplant with a stone-like soft surface for indoor and outdoor use, or in hard polyurethane in satin and glossy colors.
B&B Atoll
Bed designed by Antonio Citterio echoing the clean lines and proportions of the B&B Atoll sofas, with die-cast aluminum legs at each corner and a slatted base with flexible slats. It can be covered in leather or fabric and is available in queen and king sizes.
Crinoline
Series of outdoor seats designed by Patricia Urquiola, named after nineteenth-century skirts, with a high-backrest armchair featuring a wide hollow base and a floral interlacing motif. It is built on a light, rustproof aluminum frame with polyethylene-fibre or two-tone abaca interlacing and a seat cushion in outdoor fabrics.
Erica
Outdoor armchair designed by Antonio Citterio on a powder-coated die-cast aluminum frame with polypropylene-ribbon interlacing, offered in different sizes and depths including a high-backrest version with integrated headrest. Seat cushions feature a decorative profile.
Fat-Fat & Lady-Fat
Family of round low tables designed by Patricia Urquiola in 2004 on a steel frame, with an upholstered body in fabric or leather and lift-up steel trays revealing an internal storage compartment. They are available in several diameters.
Frank
Collection of ottomans and small tables designed by Antonio Citterio. Ottomans come in a high round-cushion version on a steel structure or a fully upholstered fabric or leather version, while the side table is in painted metal with asymmetrically positioned vertical elements.
Harbor
Sculptural swivel armchair designed by Naoto Fukasawa in 2017, available in high-back and low-back versions, with a tubular steel frame, cold-shaped polyurethane upholstery and a swivel base in steel and aluminum. The removable fabric or leather cover has a visible zip across the backrest.
Harbor Laidback
Reclining version of the Harbor armchair by Naoto Fukasawa, set on a four-spoke swivel aluminum base with a concealed mechanism that tilts backrest and seat together. It has an upholstered headrest and embracing armrests, available in fabric or leather.
Heri
Dining chair designed by Monica Armani, available in two heights and built from a curved, joined wooden frame with upholstered foam cushions over a wooden base. It is offered in finishes from brushed ash to glossy lacquer, with a version with armrests also available.
Husk
Collection designed by Patricia Urquiola with a hard outer shell in Hirek, a recycled and recyclable polymer, and extra-soft capitonne cushions. It is offered in high and low armchair versions plus a dining chair.
Jens
Collection of chairs, with or without armrests, and stools designed by Antonio Citterio, built on a turned and curved wooden frame in various wood finishes. Seat and back options include wood, leather, thick leather or woven cellulose rope.
La Bambola Outdoor
Outdoor version of Mario Bellini's iconic Bambola armchair, keeping the original soft curves and welcoming shapes while using weather-resistant materials for outdoor durability.
Le Bambole
Upholstered seating series designed by Mario Bellini in 1972 and awarded the Compasso d'Oro in 1979, characterized by soft, informal forms with an apparent absence of a load-bearing structure. The line includes the Bambola armchair and the Bibambola and Granbambola sofas.
Link
Dining table designed by Jakob Wagner in 2009, molded in a single joint-free piece from Cristalplant Outdoor, a mineral filler with polyester acrylate resin, giving a soft-touch surface suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
Mirto Outdoor
Complete outdoor series designed by Antonio Citterio including chairs, armchairs, loungers and dining tables. Chairs, fixed or folding, use a light aluminum frame with seat and back in Batyline hemp-fibre mesh, while the tables pair die-cast aluminum frames with tops in aluminum, Iroko slats, porcelain stoneware or enamelled lava stone.
Pablo
Armchair designed by Vincent Van Duysen positioned between a small armchair and a chaise longue, with a solid-wood frame and a seat that flows from the backrest and fastens to the armrests. It is upholstered in a double layer of thick leather over light seat padding.
Pushpam
Collection of outdoor tables designed by Naoto Fukasawa, distinguished by a cement-finish texture that gives a monolithic, architectural presence. The round dining table is offered in finishes such as white cement and greige cement.
Ribes
Modular outdoor seating system designed by Antonio Citterio, starting from a futon base with flexible glass-fibre slats on an aluminum frame, to which two types of armrest and backrest can be attached. Sofas, central and end elements, chaise longues and ottomans can be reconfigured in many arrangements.
Softcage
Outdoor armchair designed by Mario Bellini, inspired by his 1975 rattan project, built on a rattan cage structure of 45 mm sections and 18 mm rods with an inclined, suspended base and backrest. The collection also includes a sofa in two sizes, with the rattan offered in different colors.
Spool
Small table designed by Piero Lissoni in 2019 in printed and painted rigid polyurethane with a glossy finish and a fluid continuous shape, available in a wide range of colors. An outdoor stoneware version also exists.
Tobi-Ishi
Sculptural table designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby in 2012, named after the stepping stones of traditional Japanese gardens and built with vertical trapezoidal bases. It is available in cement grout, lacquer, marble and wood, as both a dining table and a lower coffee table version.
Tortello
Soft, monolithic armchair designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby in 2023, with a rotationally molded recycled-polyethylene support structure, an elastomer mattress and a fabric-covered foam upper element with pinched stitching. It is assembled without adhesives so it can be fully disassembled and recycled.
Vol au Vent
Dining chair designed by Mario Bellini in 2001 with single-material leather or fabric upholstery over a single polyurethane mold, available in two sizes. The larger version can be fitted with armrests and the cover is removable.
Borea
Designed by Piero LissoniBorea is B&B Italia's 2021 outdoor collection by Piero Lissoni. Its slim tubular aluminium frame is shaped using metal-bending techniques borrowed from the aeronautical industry, giving the pieces an unusually light silhouette. Tabletops are in glazed lava stone from Etna, Sicily, their surface coating made from recycled glass from discarded television and computer monitors.
Cushions are filled with polyester fibre from recycled PET bottles: approximately 280 1.5-litre bottles go into each armchair, 510 into a three-seater sofa. The collection is designed to be fully disassembled at end of life. It won the 2022 Green Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
What the pieces are made of.
B&B Italia's outdoor collections draw on a range of verified materials: tubular aluminium, die-cast aluminium, FSC-certified solid teak, ultra high performance concrete, Batyline mesh, textilene rope and glazed lava stone. The Borea collection uses recycled aluminium frames and cushions made from recycled PET fibre, with lava-stone tops glazed using recycled glass.
On every brand page these details stay factual and sourced. Collection names, designers and materials are checked against the maker before they go live.
B&B Italia, answered.
Where is B&B Italia made?
B&B Italia is based in Novedrate, in Italy's Como province, where it has been headquartered since it was founded in 1966. Its factory buildings include a 1972 headquarters designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers.
When was B&B Italia founded?
In 1966, by Piero Ambrogio Busnelli, who had previously co-founded C&B Italia with Cesare Cassina. The company became B&B Italia in 1973.
Who designs for B&B Italia?
The roster includes Antonio Citterio, Piero Lissoni, Naoto Fukasawa, Patricia Urquiola, Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, and many others across indoor and outdoor lines.
What is the Borea collection?
Borea is a 2021 outdoor collection by Piero Lissoni. It uses a slim tubular aluminium frame, glazed lava-stone tabletops and cushions filled with recycled-PET fibre. It won the 2022 Green Good Design Award.
What materials does Borea use?
Tubular aluminium frames, glazed lava stone from Etna for tabletops, and polyester-fibre cushions made from recycled PET plastic bottles. The collection is designed for disassembly at end of life.
What is the Ayana collection?
Ayana is an outdoor collection by Naoto Fukasawa. It uses FSC-certified solid teak left unpainted to age naturally, and serpentine stone tops on tables. The design references Japanese and Nordic formal traditions.
What is the Mirto Outdoor collection?
Mirto Outdoor was designed by Antonio Citterio in 2013. It combines a die-cast aluminium frame with Batyline mesh seating and spans chairs, loungers, tables and complements.
What is the Tobi-Ishi Outdoor table?
Tobi-Ishi Outdoor was designed by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby. The tables are made in ultra high performance concrete and reference the polished stepping stones, called tobi-ishi, of traditional Japanese gardens.
Is B&B Italia available in the US?
Yes. Collections reach the US through authorised dealers; lead times vary by line and finish.
Does B&B Italia make indoor furniture as well?
Yes. B&B Italia's indoor catalogue includes iconic pieces such as the UP Series by Gaetano Pesce, the Charles sofa by Antonio Citterio and the Tufty-Time sofa by Patricia Urquiola, among many others.
How should I care for B&B Italia outdoor furniture?
Care varies by collection and material: aluminium pieces, teak, concrete and mesh each have specific requirements. Follow the maker's collection-specific guidance; teak left untreated will grey naturally over time.
Can I buy from this site?
No. Premium Furniture is an independent editorial directory. We document the house and point you to the maker.