“Fine Furniture.” “Designed & Hand Crafted.” Those are the words that dot the top of Aurelio Bolognesi’s website. One look at the gallery of images that pepper the site and it’s evident that this designer possesses a unique
and truly beautiful knack for
furniture making.
A graduate of Lugano, Switzerland’s design school, the “Centro Scolastico per le Industrie Artistiche,” Bolognesi, who goes by the nickname of “Bolo,” works out of picturesque Hardwick, Massachusetts, which is nestled to the east of the expansive Quabbin Reservoir. Prior to setting up his studio there, Bolognesi worked as a designer in the Caribbean, New York and Paris.
Distinct Elegance
Bolognesi’s pieces are elegant and distinct. His style is simplistic and one of the most beautiful attributes his designs possess is their suitability for any interior. Bolognesi describes his work as “[f]urniture you will love to see and touch; tomorrow’s antiques.”
Where beauty meets utility. A simple look that masks a complex underlying design. Stunning and functional. Those are some of the sentiments satisfied clients have shared about Bolognesi’s work, which has been shown in several galleries and at the Currier Museum of Fine Art in Manchester, New Hampshire, the Seacoast’s Portsmouth Museum of Fine Art and the award-winning contemporary craft and fine art Paradise City Art shows, which feature many of the country’s prominent craftsmen and artists.
“Usually my first-time clients have a place in their home where they want something special. They have seen my work and if a particular piece catches their eye, that’s where they start,” Bolognesi says. “Of course I work with the rest of the furniture they have in their home or in that particular room, to create an ensemble that doesn’t clash,” he adds.
This year, Bolognesi prepared a contemporary bergère, which is generally described as an enclosed upholstered French armchair, for the New Hampshire Furniture Masters Association, which is comprised of more than 20 talented handmade furniture makers, including other respected designers like Jere Osgood, Jon Brooks and Garrett Hack, who work in a variety of styles from Early American, Shaker and Neo-classical to traditional and contemporary. With an enveloping and inviting design, the cozy cherry chair, upholstered in a bold, decadent purple velvet is a cross between “a nest and a throne.” “I can easily imagine a grand parent reading a book to a child in this chair,” Bolognesi says.
As for who purchases Bolognesi’s pieces, clients run the gamet. “Most of my clients [don’t] just need a piece of furniture, [they’re] also collectors,” Bolognesi explains. While most of his clients are from New England, many of his pieces have made it around the world. And, in terms of the type of materials Bolognesi typically uses, he prefers to work with local woods—Maple, as well as Cherry, specifically come to mind. “Rarely I use exotics and just for highlights,” he says. “The client at the end is the one who decides the specie… to go with the rest of the furniture. If I work on specs, very often is that particular piece of wood that inspires me to do that particular piece,” he adds.
Interested in having Bolognesi design and build you a one-of-a-kind piece of furniture? Email bolo@aurelio-bolognesi.com or call 413.563.4146. Bolognesi will design a piece that’s personal to you, construct it and ship it around the world if necessary.
By Laura Starczewski
Why Invest in
One-of-a-Kind
Furniture?
Your furniture should be functional as well as an expression of your personality. It’s usually best to invest in some key, high-quality pieces, like those that Bolognesi makes. Generally owners are less likely to replace solid pieces of furniture that have been gorgeously customized to their specifications with timeless design elements that can last a lifetime.
