In 1975, at the height of plastic's dominance in furniture design, architects Afra and Tobia Scarpa approached Piero Ambrogio Busnelli—founder of B&B Italia—with a contrarian proposition: create a line celebrating wood and traditional craftsmanship. The idea was audacious. Whilst the industry chased experimental materials and futuristic forms, the Scarpas envisioned furniture rooted in artisanal excellence and timeless materials.

Busnelli, never one to shy from bold ideas, embraced the concept. Thus, Maxalto was born—a sister brand to B&B Italia, but with a distinctly different voice. The name itself derives from Venetian dialect: "massa alto", meaning "the highest," a declaration of intent that quality and craftsmanship would define every piece.

The Scarpas inaugurated Maxalto with collections that referenced classical typologies through contemporary eyes. Their Africa chair from the Artona collection and the New Harmony range employed rare, ancient production techniques borrowed from cabinet-making and even lute-making traditions. The results possessed sculptural gravitas—furniture that demanded contemplation as much as use.

For nearly two decades, the Scarpas shaped Maxalto's identity, but in 1993, the brand entered a transformative new chapter. Busnelli appointed Milanese architect Antonio Citterio as Maxalto's sole designer—a bold decision to entrust an entire brand to one creative vision. Citterio's first collection arrived in 1996, and it became immediately clear that Maxalto had found its definitive voice.

For Citterio, Maxalto became a production workshop dedicated to what he termed "modern neo-classics"—furniture filtered through contemporary Italian architectural sensibility whilst drawing inspiration from French interwar design and early twentieth-century typologies. These weren't reproductions or nostalgic homages; they were dialogues between past and present, tradition and innovation. Citterio's designs offered comfortable, convivial solutions for homes conceived as coherent environments where furniture and objects interact fluidly.

What distinguishes Maxalto is its rejection of fashion cycles. The collection doesn't chase trends or respond to fleeting fads. Instead, Citterio has built a vocabulary of enduring forms characterised by strong, refined lines, simple geometry, and sober luxury. Each piece—whether the Dives sofa with its plush elegance, the Xilos table with its sculptural base, or the Max writing desk with its striking X-shaped steel structure—exhibits what Citterio calls "rational luxury": furniture animated by a candid, non-aggressive aesthetic that creates balance in every detail.

Central to Maxalto's identity is wood—the foremost material treated with reverence and expertise. Premium hardwoods such as Chilean tineo appear throughout the collection, finished using techniques that preserve Brianza's rich heritage of craftsmanship. This commitment to traditional craftsmanship doesn't mean rejecting innovation; rather, it means employing skilled artisans whose hands finish what advanced machinery has precisely constructed.

In 2021, Citterio re-elaborated the entire Maxalto collection with what the brand calls "Heritage Perspectives"—a comprehensive redesign that maintained aesthetic continuity whilst updating structures, proportions, details, and functionality. This wasn't reinvention; it was careful evolution, ensuring the collection remains relevant without abandoning its foundations.

Today, Maxalto operates increasingly as an independent brand, with standalone stores in Paris, Chicago, and Miami complementing its presence within B&B Italia showrooms worldwide. The collection encompasses complete living room, bedroom, dining, and office ranges—furniture designed for mutual coordination, offering extensive customisation options that anticipate individual needs.

Maxalto represents true bourgeois domesticity: furniture that creates comfortable, convivial, social environments. It's designed for people who value consistency, who appreciate furniture that endures change whilst everything around it transforms.

At HFOC, we specialise in sourcing authentic second-hand Maxalto pieces—from Citterio's signature neo-classic designs to select pieces from the Scarpa era. Each piece of furniture transcends fashion, offering discerning buyers the opportunity to acquire Italian artisanal excellence at accessible prices.

Maxalto doesn't follow trends. It defines timeless domesticity.