Are you sitting comfortably…? The story of Edra's passion for comfort

In 2022, comfort is king – from living rooms to lobbies, and even offices, deep seats beckon and soft fabrics lure. Driven by wellbeing trends, interiors are embracing comfort like never before. Yet when prioritising comfort for clients, function and form needn’t take a back seat – and, furniture with soft curves and smooth edges needn’t lack personality either. Innovator in relaxation, Edra has been working on this challenge for over 50 years – and has truly mastered how to make a statement with comfort.

Edra’s design formula combines maximum comfort, performance, attention to detail, universality of use and durability. It is applied to every product – primarily sofas and armchairs, as well as beds, wardrobes and lamps – and based in science and technical design, capitalising on the intrinsic qualities of materials, experiments in craft and patented upholstery products. Yet it also appeals to sensorial pleasure. And responds to social research into human relationships. This forges a ‘domestic landscape’ that connects people, design and spaces; a concept referenced in Edra’s naming in 1987, drawing from the Greek and Roman ‘Exedra’, an open seated area in the atrium where people conversed.

Edra was founded in Tuscany, Italy, by Valerio and Monica Mazzei, second generation furniture makers with independent spirits seeking characterful new shapes and materials in design. Today it is helmed by the third generation, brothers Niccolò and Edoardo (Valerio’s sons) and Umberto (Monica’s son), who continue this mission, alongside collaborators – such as designers Francesco Binfaré, Jacopo Foggini, the Campana Brothers and Masanori Umeda – who are core to its innovative and generous approach.

Edra’s research into the very mechanics of comfort has resulted in important patents such as the Smart Cushion and Gellyfoam®. The former allows the user to effortlessly shift their position with articulated joints hidden in the cushions. And, described by Edra as the ‘soft soul’ of their sofas, Gellyfoam® is a special padding inspired by the biomedical industry (often mixed with polyurethane foam, cotton wool or down) that supports the weight of the body in any position, ensuring strong and flexible structures.

Long-time Edra collaborator designer Francesco Binfaré’s self-proclaimed quest for fluffiness is based upon his research for the Smart Cushion. Core sofa systems such as the Standalto or Grande Soffice, designed by Binfaré, combine the Smart Cushion and Gellyfoam®, with modern modularity, for freedom, informality and openness. Grande Soffice is notable for its wideness and deepness, easily accommodating six fully reclining people across three modules.

While prioritising comfort, Edra has never feared expressive, statement pieces – durable enough for public spaces and showstopping enough for luxury private spaces. It was one of the first design brands to approach comfort in a bold way, collaborating with Zaha Hadid in 1988. Today there are many statement pieces to choose from; the multi-dimensional FLAP sofa, with 128 steel parts and 16 hidden hinges, split into 184 multi-density polyurethane sections; or the Tatlin by Mario Cananzi and Roberto Semprini, a seat based upon the constructivist Tatlin tower and wrapped in delicious velvet. There’s also iconic biophilic responses to comfort; On The Rocks is inspired by the surface of coastal rocks and the Rose chair’s petals are layered and hand-padded.

As you might expect, the fabric and upholstery department at Edra is extensive. Combining tactility and technicality, each material is carefully selected to suit each product, and fabrics are customisable with the expert consultation from the Edra team, a group of passionate artisans. The Material Library at Spazio Edra opened in 2017 with the goal of helping designers and clients to make fabric choices with both science and the senses.

For Edra, the idea of comfort translates to its very ethics too – building strong relationships between staff, suppliers and consultants improves communication and makes people feel comfortable, supported and confident approaching new ideas and being innovative. It is an approach that increases the quality of Edra’s products. So whether sitting on a sofa, or in a collaborative meeting, the relationship between people and design is a mutual exchange – and that feels good.

© Architonic