About
The history of Italian design is, in part, also the history of the Boffi family, who was able to establish connections with what would later become iconic names in the international landscape of interior systems. But one must proceed in order; there’s a narrative thread leading back to a small artisan workshop in the province of Monza Brianza. It’s here that, in 1934, every night after working as a craftsman at the Caproni factory, Piero Boffi switched on the light to experiment, dabble and create new ideas, which in the years to come would revolutionise the concepts of cooking and living.
A family story
Piero was joined by his sons Dino, Pier Ugo and Paolo, each with a personal approach to innovation, technology and insight; they launched the first collaborations that resulted in visionary and functional components.However, it’s not just about the products, the series and system components: an artistic direction, from Luigi Massoni to Antonio Citterio and Piero Lissoni to date, and a pioneering managerial attitude, were some of the foundational principles in the building of an image and communication strategy that have invariably accompanied Boffi’s products.
Searching for the essence: Boffi’s journey
In almost ninety years there have been strategic openings in the capitals of design, proven integrations of manual skill and technology, tailor-made projects, tireless research on the best materials, collaborations and sought-after partnerships. Many insights such as offering brand-extensions have ensured a cohesive look: to kitchens that have become iconic Boffi adds bathrooms, followed by systems, all the way to integrating new companies. Starting with De Padova in 2015, a venture that would lead the two Made in Italy brands to closely collaborate on developing a path to strong internationalisation, already underway in both companies, with the aim of promoting ‘Italian know-how’ globally, by establishing a group capable of penetrating the domestic and turnkey contract markets in a far-reaching way.
MA/U Studio and ADL join the Boffi|DePadova group.
MA/U Studio’s Nordic design in 2017, and ADL’s architectural connecting systems in 2019, follow the leitmotif set in motion by CEO Roberto Gavazzi. Since taking over as Managing Director in 1988, he’s believed in pursuing a corporate strategy; today Boffi|DePadova comprises integrated systems and items diverging from its own style that, if combined, retain the same language with total synergy. A comprehensive perspective capable of enhancing every aspect of the business through transformation, considered changes, and the ongoing desire to improve from one year to the next.
Boffi’s is a journey in search of a complete single entity, of refined taste and in continuous evolution. A way of living that’s recognisable.
our story
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1934
A small, improvised studio and a great desire to experiment. Every evening, after finishing work at Caproni S.p.A., Piero Boffi retreats to the workshop next to his home to explore early-stage design projects in his own way. This is how the history of Boffi begins.
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1947
The industrial company takes shape. In Cesano Maderno, in the province of Monza Brianza, the first Boffi factory is founded, where Piero Boffi’s sons – Pier Ugo, Dino and Paolo – work together in different roles. Each brings his own approach.
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1954
The group becomes a pioneer as the first company to promote a functional plan for modern homes and to work strategically on the international expansion of the brand.
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1958
With his expressive graphic style, Giulio Confalonieri shapes Boffi’s brand image in the company’s first emerging advertising campaigns.
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1963
The visionary spirit of the Boffi brothers converges with that of Joe Colombo: The Minikitchen becomes an avant-garde symbol of kitchen-system design – a compact cube integrating all functions for preparation, storage and cleaning.
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1966
With the opening of the first warehouse at Via Oberdan 70, Lentate sul Seveso becomes Boffi’s new home.
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1967
Pier Ugo and Gian Casé design a model that becomes a cornerstone of modern fitted kitchens: T12. In the same year, Luigi Massoni joins Boffi as Creative Director, leading to the development of design icons such as the handleless Xila system and the E15 kitchen, the first modular concept.
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1980
Antonio Citterio and Paolo Nava design the Factory model, a high-tech version that blends the classical modernity of kitchens with the concept of the open-plan kitchen.
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1989
At the end of the decade, Roberto Gavazzi – then a young entrepreneur – becomes CEO, bringing the necessary change and openness toward the company’s internationalization.
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1990
Art direction is entrusted to Piero Lissoni, whose contribution defines a series of strategies to create bespoke products and introduces a subtle glamour that permeates the product lines and the communication strategy. During this period, the Esprit system is introduced, noted for its understated elegance.
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1992
This is the year of Latina and Food Center, inaugurated with an installation by Lissoni directly inside the Boffi factory. Two models that highlight the core functions of the kitchen.
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1995
The design legacy and the development strategies introduced by the Boffi-Gavazzi-Lissoni trio lead to the brand receiving the Compasso d’Oro alla Carriera. Boffi embarks on the long-planned path of internationalization by opening Boffi Paris on Boulevard Saint-Germain.
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1997
Boffi makes a bold statement for its independent market strategy with a pivotal decision: Withdrawing from the Salone del Mobile to present the WK6 system in the deconsecrated San Paolo Converso church in Milan.
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1998
The first monobrand store, Bagno-Boffi Solferino, opens on Via Solferino in Milan. Thanks to its architecture, it remains an icon of the Brera district. This marks the beginning of a long series of monobrand stores in Italy and worldwide, forming the foundation of the company’s expansion strategy.
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2000
The company’s international growth reaches the United States: Boffi Soho opens as the first in a series of Boffi showrooms across the country.
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2001
Boffi joins the Fondazione Altagamma, an association that brings together leading Italian high-end brands to promote Italian culture and “Made in Italy” around the world.
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2002
Piero Lissoni’s Case 5.0 embodies the essence of the architectural kitchen and becomes a performance piece defined by extraordinary proportions, materials and avant-garde functions.
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2003
The German high-end kitchen brand Norbert Wangen is officially integrated into the Boffi universe, introducing an innovative style with its K-Series.
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2004
Cut, the faucet designed by Mario Tessarollo and Tiberio Cerato, is nominated for the Compasso d’Oro and receives the 2004 Red Dot Award for Best Product Design.
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2010
The second decade of the 2000s is marked by transformation: The brand expands its range with wardrobe systems through the “Solferino” project in 2010. At the same time, a collaboration begins with Fantini to create a collection of modern, refined faucets that perfectly complement Boffi.
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2011
Internationally, the company reaches 21 directly managed monobrand stores and 48 indirectly operated stores. Meanwhile, the Aboutwater project is launched in collaboration with Fantini.
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2012
Expansion also extends to the production site and corporate offices: A new Training Center opens at the headquarters in Lentate sul Seveso, featuring a large area dedicated to customer service and the presentation of the bathroom, kitchen, and system collections.
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2015
This year marks the beginning of a major corporate strategy: Boffi merges with De Padova, a historic company in modern furniture design. The De Padova Santa Cecilia showroom opens at Via Santa Cecilia 7 in Milan.
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2016
Boffi Code: A new collection of fully custom-made furniture with personalized materials, finishes and storage options.
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2017
De Padova enters a partnership with MA/U Studio, a Danish start-up specializing in high-quality shelving systems for living and workspaces, which becomes fully integrated into the De Padova range in 2022.
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2018
Boffi receives the 2018 ADI Compasso d’Oro for the Eclipse project, developed in collaboration with Studiocharlie.
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2019
With an initial 50% acquisition, Boffi integrates ADL into its portfolio. The company, specialized in developing door systems that connect and separate spaces, contributes to the continued growth of the industrial project started in recent years.
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2021
The Boffi|DePadova strategy increasingly emphasizes the goal of offering 360-degree living solutions: Boffi Chelsea becomes Boffi|DePadova Chelsea, moving into a new 900 m² space where all brand collections coexist harmoniously.
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2022
During Milan Design Week, CASE 5.0 – BECOMING is unveiled, a reinterpretation released twenty years after Piero Lissoni’s original introduction.
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2025
Today, Boffi|DePadova operates 24 directly managed showrooms and 50 Boffi|DePadova Studios worldwide, reflecting a philosophy of living in which diverse influences blend seamlessly into a single holistic concept.