How one Italian furniture maker made European design affordable

Michelle F. Solomon, Tribune Content Solutions

Pasquale Natuzzi is credited for single-handedly creating the "democratization" of the leather sofa for the American home. The Italian furniture maker had a vision — no longer would luxury leather sofas and chairs be limited to the elite: He would create fine European furniture that everyone could afford.

Maureen Suarez, an interior designer in North Palm Beach with Baer's Furniture, which has one of the largest selections of the brand in North America, recalls when Natuzzi first arrived in the American marketplace.

"I remember when I started 30 years ago — a leather-tufted, button Chesterfield sofa would retail easily for $4,000 or more at the time, and so for the consumer that was an expensive investment. Natuzzi brought a leather product to the United States that made it accessible for the average American to purchase leather furniture for their home."

Italian roots

When the first Natuzzi sofa arrived in the States in 1985, the cost, less than half of what consumers were used to, was a revolution for the home furnishings market. But the lower price point didn't mean an inferior product. Fine Italian craftsmanship and luxury details set the standard for quality leather furniture.

Pasquale Natuzzi remains chairman and CEO of what began as a simple furnishings business in 1959. Today, Natuzzi is a global leader in the world of leather sofas.

Natuzzi Editions, one of three Natuzzi lines, draws on the company's heritage as a pioneer in leather upholstery and combines Italian craftsmanship with affordability. The collection is described as "Italian heritage blended with America's comfort."

What makes Natuzzi Editions so appealing is its high-quality craftsmanship and adherence to European design. Everything in the collection is designed in Italy for the American lifestyle, according to the brand. Luxury upholstered sofas, sleepers, sectionals, loveseats, chairs and ottomans are designed and built on the tried-and-true tradition of Italian styling and tailoring.

Leather (or better)

Top-rated hides are selected and worked in Natuzzi tanning plants and are put through 23 different refining stages to optimize the leather while maintaining its the natural beauty.

Two kinds of leather are used in the making of Natuzzi Editions — natural and Protecta.

The natural leathers, soft and velvety, are worked in compliance with the original characteristics of the hide. All of the distinctive features as to grain, veining and color shades can be recognized at sight and touch.

"Natural leather products are processed without changing the hide's original characteristics, so you'll see wrinkles, veining and differences in color shades," explained Suarez.

Protecta leathers are specially treated to protect the material from stains without altering the original character. This makes furniture covered in Protecta leather durable and ideal for practical and daily use. "Protecta is best for high-traffic areas, such as a family room," said Suarez.

While fine, traditional materials are the benchmark of Natuzzi, the company remains a groundbreaker, continuously creating products like Protecta to take leather furniture to a new level.

The ‘science of sleep’

Natuzzi’s Day & Night line changes the image of the old-school sleeper sofa. The elegant, leather upholstered sofa isn't simply a stylish centerpiece for a living or family room, but also a functional and comfortable sleeper.

Sleeper sofas have a reputation of being difficult to open, but the company solved the dilemma by developing a groundbreaking mechanism that can be operated using only one hand and results in the sleeper being fully extended in under 10 seconds.

In addition, Natuzzi Editions, already known for luxury and comfort, uses the same multiple foam layers in its sleeper cushions as in its regular sofas. "You'd never know these are sleepers when you sit on them," says Jake Heckenlaible, brand manager for Natuzzi Editions.

Modern classics

As for that Chesterfield that Suarez said was out of reach three decades ago? Now, a Chesterfield sofa has never looked so good, nor been so affordable.

Natuzzi Editions creates its version of the classic Chesterfield with thick, plush seat cushions, beautiful button tufting, nailhead trim and roll arm styling in a luxurious sofa that has timeless appeal. To complete the ensemble, Natuzzi Editions brings the same elegant style to a matching Chesterfield chair and ottoman, all crafted in Natuzzi’s soft Italian leather.

No matter which gorgeous sofa, loveseat or side chair from the Natuzzi Editions collection is on your wishlist; you can try it and buy it at any Baer’s location.