The Outlook is Brighter Than Ever at Natuzzi Italia’s First Houston Store
The Luxury, Made-In-Italy Furniture Brand Enters Uptown Park With a Fresh Concept
BY Caitlin Clark // 03.08.24Houston's first Natuzzi Italia store is inspired by the airy aesthetic of the Mediterranean.
Though the Natuzzi Italia team couldn’t quite transport the Mediterranean to Houston, Texas, you can feel the warmth of Southern Italy the moment you enter the luxury furniture brand’s new 5,550-square-foot showroom in Uptown Park. The store — Houston’s first Natuzzi Italia — represents a new era for one of Italy’s top furniture companies.
“The new concept distills the architecture, color, and material references of our heritage of Mediterranean brands into a retail experience,” shares PJ Natuzzi, Natuzzi Italia’s chief brand officer. “It’s a very important milestone in the expansion of our retail presence in the U.S.”
Designed by Italian architect Fabio Novembre, the sprawling Natuzzi Italia Houston showroom is all about warmth and curves, while serving as a comprehensive guide to the storied, family-owned brand. Founded in 1959 by Pasquale Natuzzi (PJ’s father), the company gained popularity in America during the 1980s with its leather sofas. The “Re-Vive” performance recliner chair, introduced in 2014, has become an icon for the Italian brand. “For Natuzzi, it was like Apple launching the iPhone,” PJ notes.
Since its debut, the best-selling chair has been the subject of several designer collaborations, a longtime tenet of Natuzzi Italia. The company has worked with a variety of international artists to interpret its Mediterranean-inspired aesthetic, including Mario Bellini, who designed the brand’s ship-like U.S. headquarters in High Point, North Carolina. Partnerships with Marcel Wanders, Marcantonio, Nika Zupanc, and Elena Salmistraro are featured among the latest collections in Natuzzi Italia Houston, tied together by the showroom’s “Circle of Harmony” centerpiece, a physical representation of the brand’s collaborative, story-focused approach to furniture making.
The store is steeped in Natuzzi’s hallowed heritage but feels more contemporary than its Dallas and Fort Worth counterparts. “With Houston, we wanted to bring the light into the store,” adds PJ.
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