Art and Craft Converge in Statement Furniture

Founded in 2023 in Cantù—an historic hub of Italian furniture making—BottegaNera emerges from a legacy of bespoke craftsmanship. Conceived by Stefano Marelli as an evolution of his artistic path in painting and sculpture, the atelier creates one-of-a-kind furniture pieces that merge art and design. In collaboration with expert artisans and wood professionals, Marelli leads an ongoing exploration of materials, surfaces, and chromatic contrasts. Each creation reflects a dialogue between tradition and innovation, where craftsmanship meets experimentation. The result is a collection of sculptural, dreamlike objects—timeless works that blur the boundaries between functional design and poetic expression.

BottegaNera was born from Stefano Marelli’s artistic journey between painting and sculpture. How does this background influence your approach to furniture as both functional objects and expressive creations?

The artistic heritage I carry is indispensable in everything I do. I contextualize every action—whether creating furniture or other works—from the most practical to the most abstract, whether it’s crafting an object or composing poetry or prose. It all stems from lived experience and, above all, feeling—being an artist.

Equally important is coming from an environment that emphasized precision craftsmanship and aesthetic balance, which allowed me to develop a particular sensitivity that enhances all of this. While maintaining my creative autonomy, I can realize pieces based on even a simple idea from a client, transforming them into unique, customizable, and aesthetically impeccable works.

Dialogue between artisanal tradition and experimentation is central to your work. Which materials or surfaces are guiding your boldest current explorations?

My work with BottegaNera pieces began with a focus on decoration, sculpture, and bas-relief, which are more easily integrated into furniture complements. I mainly conceive, shape, and prototype acrylic stuccos—water-based—requiring three essential qualities: final mechanical strength, initial malleability to allow bold forms and decorations, and the capacity to absorb and resist the various polymers used in finishing.

This “stucco,” of my own design, does not exist on the market. It is then followed by finishes, patinas, and metallic polymers that define the final look. After exploring gold, copper, and bronze, I am now gravitating toward less conventional patinas, with hues from pink to blue, while still embracing deep black.

Your creations appear suspended between dream and matter. How significant is emotion in your creative process, and what kind of relationship do you envision between the work and those who experience it?

Emotion is a primary value in artistic work. Passion is sparked first in the creator, and this is indispensable. It is the initial spark for anyone experiencing a work of art—it exists first as a personal dialogue. Once the piece is complete, this initial relationship transforms. A new viewer may, in turn, establish their own emotional dialogue, experiencing a new sensation, a new momentum with the piece. Emotion travels in multiple directions, offering each person a fantastical world, sometimes distant, but always enchanting. That is how I like to imagine it.