Upcoming Trade Shows Verona, Italy for Home & Lifestyle

Tradition and history play a vital role in shaping the face of the home décor and lifestyle in Verona as we know it today. Let’s rewind time six centuries to the 1400s, when the Olivetan monk Fra Giovanni created the intricate inlaid wood choir of Santa Maria in Organo. This would classify as the moment Verona’s tradition of finely crafted furniture began. The modern era of organized furniture production in Verona began with Giuseppe Merlin, affectionately known as Marangon, a skilled craftsman from Asparetto di Cerea. Merlin’s journey from repairing agricultural tools to restoring and reproducing antique furniture marked a significant turning point. His meticulous study of antique pieces and mastery of traditional techniques and materials enabled him to create reproductions with remarkable authenticity. Merlin’s restoration workshop rapidly grew, becoming an important feature of Verona’s growing furniture industry. By the mid-1930s, Merlin had begun decentralizing production as he provided materials to local craftsmen who specialized in various aspects of woodworking. This decision led to the establishment of numerous independent workshops, each of which contributed to the region's reputation for high-quality period furniture. The support of institutions like the Scuola Popolare di Disegno, founded in Cerea in 1910, further drove this growth. Today, the Bassa Veronese area remains tightly associated with period furniture craftsmanship. Local workshops continue to produce individual pieces, which are then finished, assembled, and distributed globally by well-established companies. These businesses preserve the time-honored techniques and styles that define Veronese furniture, characterized by classic shapes and traditional materials. The uniqueness of Veronese furniture lies in its characteristic shapes and the use of techniques and materials inspired by 18th-century Venetian homes. This connection to the past, combined with the full embracing of innovation, transforms Veronese furniture into an enduring symbol of Italy’s sophisticated craft production.