English text by Angela Feng
Chinese text by Ivy Tseng
Pictures courtesy of Michelangelo Designs
Located in Passaic, New Jersey, is Michelangelo Designs—a massive, 35,000-square-foot showroom carrying Italy’s most upscale masterpieces. Founded by Fred Farra in 1985, the company has been sharing the magnificence and sophistication of Italian furniture with America for over 30 years. Every piece has been meticulously selected to reflect the style, quality, and beauty that has made Italian furniture world-renowned.
A walk through Michelangelo Designs is a journey through Italian art, history, and design. The company prides itself on having “three centuries under one roof”—with designs that range from French Provincial, Baroque, Biedermeier, Louis XV, and Louis XVI to Art Deco and Contemporary.
While many companies focus on just one of the major style categories, Michelangelo Designs covers all three: traditional, transitional, and modern. This approach was what inspired the company’s name: While Michelangelo was a classical artist, he often took a visionary approach to his art. Michelangelo Designs reflects this by being at the forefront of “the new,” all while celebrating tradition.
Uniqueness is important at Michelangelo Designs. In the industry, it is often known as “The Cure from the Common.” When selecting brands to carry, the company not only makes sure that the materials used are of the highest quality, but also that the designs are not often seen in the American market. “We don’t want to bring in something that is already out there—we want to bring in something fresh and new,” said the company’s president, Chris Farra. America is a melting pot, with cultures from all over the world. As a result, people often have different ideas as to how a home should look. Therefore, Michelangelo Designs strives to consider a variety of cultures and mentalities when choosing the items it carries.
Among the wide variety of brands at Michelangelo Designs, one of the most popular is Angelo Cappellini. With its exceedingly elegant and beautifully crafted pieces, Angelo Cappellini is truly the crème de la crème of the traditional furniture world. Its products are highly customizable, with over 72 finishes of wood and over a thousand different fabric or leather upholstery options. At the more modern end is Egoitaliano, a company that focuses on living room pieces and leather goods. All of its sofas are modular, meaning that they can be built to a number of different sizes, seats, and shapes.
On top of offering extensive customization services, Michelangelo Designs creates its own furniture designs. “Our designs are still made in Italy, but they’re produced for the U.S. market specifically,” Chris explained. Michelangelo Designs can create completely custom work for clients who have a specific design in mind. From armoires and built-in wall units to closets, Michelangelo Designs can build to one’s floor plan exactly as needed.
From its beginning, Michelangelo Designs has focused exclusively on Italian furniture. This is done for three main reasons: the craftsmanship, the design, and the environmental impact. Furniture is one of Italy’s main exports; the country is renowned for its art and craftsmanship, and the dedication to quality is unmatched. Additionally, Italian brands typically place emphasis on environmental conservation, and ensure that products do not harm the environment.
For decades, Michelangelo Designs has been bringing stunning, high-quality Italian furniture all across the United States. By working closely with interior designers and architects, the company has beautified hundreds of homes.
