The Furniture Awards are bestowed on the industry's champion suppliers at the January Furniture Show each year. Organised by Furniture News magazine in partnership with the event, the awards aim to recognise the businesses leading the way in their own product categories.
Sporting a typically high-end look and offer, Italy’s long-established ALF Uno put its mix-and-match Alf DaFré concept front and centre, attracting a good deal of admiration from the panel.
ALF’s entry, the Fusello Table, was designed by studio Molteni/Baron, and marries a spindle-legged base with a range of table top options – the natural (or laquered) wooded structure of Fusello’s frame can be combined with a glass, marble or wood top, making it a tasteful yet expressive choice for the home.
Fusello Table, ALF Uno
Fusello’s concept was born out of tradition, says UK sales manager, Sally Breda. “The base is made up of spindle legs, evoking the spool for winding thread used to make Cantu lace. The Fusello, or spindle, is the bobbin used for making lace – its soft look is what inspired the shape of the legs that characterise the wooden structure of the table, while the top almost seems suspended on the structure, and becomes a central, sculpured and expressive element of the composition.”
Manufactured in Italy with an emphasis on local suppliers, the Fusello Table is just part of a wider bespoke concept which makes high-end Italian design accessible to UK consumers.
Area manager Alessio Pessotto comments: “Being chosen as a winner means a lot to us. Crucially, it means we’re on the right track – the design of our product intersects the taste and requirements of the most sophisticated clientele.
The extreme personalisation and the endless options offered in our products – along with the uniqueness of certain pieces – makes the ALF group a leading player in the international furniture scene. able to furnish every space of the house. We’ve developed a concept called Total Living, which aims to provide the same finishes and materials in every area of the home, creating a link between the environments.”
The company currently exports furniture to 91 countries, and is constantly expanding.
The judges said: “Stunning quality and finish, with so many material and colour permutations. Being a high-end Italian design – with a price point to match – its engineering and proportions should be faultless, and the concept does not disappoint.
“With great touches like the lovely barrel legs, easy assemble points and a great bespoke element, the whole concept is backed up by a reliable, highly automated factory – making ALF a worthy winner in this category.”
From left: awards co-ordinator Paul Farley; ALF Uno UK sales manager Sally Breda; event director Cleere Scammel; and ALF Uno area manager Alessio Pessotto
