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[ BESPOKE: ANNIBALE COLOMBO ]
When creativity is sparked by
DEEP-SEATED EXPERTISE by Marta Bernasconi
Wood, its glorious potential and its secrets. The historic Italian company has developed a unique store of knowledge over 200 years added to with each new project
T
he little artisan furniture-making workshop founded by Filippo Colombo has come a long
way in the last 200 years. From its current 8,000 square metre headquarters at Novedrate, just outside Milan, Annibale Colombo CEO, Luciano Colombo, described the character and spirit of a company that has set the benchmark for haute cabinet-making. “What makes our company so unusual is that we always prioritise the care and quality of our products. That starts with careful selection of the materials, the right proportions and luxe finishes. All of this happens in an industrial-type facility kitted out with modern technologies but which still retains a sense of human craftsmanship and
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Meticulously-selected and planned materials and luxe finishes are the prerogatives for Annibale Colombo furnishings. Top, the bookshelves from the New Quadro collection. Below and page opposite, pieces designed by the Ciarmoli Queda Studio for marine settings: bar unit, desk, table with metal inserts and seat
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[ BESPOKE ]
sensibility in its precious handcrafted finishes.” Artisanal expertise, which is very much part of Italian culture, lies at the foundation of a type of product customisation Colombo feels is Annibale Colombo creations display the very special sensibility that has made Italian furniture and the craftsmanship that goes with it,
of enormous value: “True luxury these days is being able to make bespoke furniture crafted around the client’s most diverse requirements. That is why this company has an in-house
world-famous. Here we bring you a
structure that allows us to independently offer
selection of pieces designed by the
design solutions and also develop outside
Ciarmoli Queda Studio for prestige yacht interiors
projects.” Annibale Colombo also produces a variety of off-the-peg collections in addition to its bespoke output. “They range from the very classic Time reproduction vintage line to Today which is more contemporary. Also in there are our latest collaborations with high-profile designers and, lastly, the New Quadro line, a modular furnishing programme that brilliantly exploits the company’s expertise in creating solutions tailored to the needs of each individual client.” In terms of projects in hand, Colombo mentions that his team are currently providing both production and bespoke furnishings, trims, walk-in closets and interior doors for a historic building in central Moscow. 2018 promises plenty of new projects too. “For the upcoming Salone del Mobile in Milan in April, we are working on lots of new products both interior and also specifically outdoor which will thus also fit the yachting and nautical sector in general. Thanks to our collaborations with various designers, we have quite a few, very different projects. All, however, share the same attention to detail, originality and quality.” In short, Annibale Colombo is happy to embrace change but only when it allows the company stay true to its core values.
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