mobili

Mobili is the Italian term for furniture, referring to movable objects intended to support human activity within a built environment. The category includes seating, sleeping, storage, work, and dining pieces, such as chairs, tables, beds, armoires, cabinets, desks, shelves, and upholstery, as well as decorative objects that have a functional purpose inside interiors. In Italian, the term 'mobili' is the plural form of 'mobile' and broadly denotes furniture.

Typical mobili materials include wood (solid timber, veneers, plywood), metal, glass, stone, and textiles. Construction often combines carpentry, joinery, upholstery, and mechanical fittings such as hinges, drawers, and fasteners. Finishes such as varnishes, lacquers, oils, and veneers affect appearance, durability, and tactility.

Historically, mobili reflected technologies and taste. European furniture ranged from carved Renaissance and Baroque pieces to neoclassical forms inspired by Antiquity. The 19th and 20th centuries saw industrialization, mass production, and movements such as modernism and Bauhaus that emphasized function and simplification. The Italian design tradition contributed to modernist trends through craftsmen and designers who explored form, ergonomics, and material innovation.

Contemporary mobili stress ergonomics, sustainability, modularity, and customizable systems. International fairs, notably the Salone del Mobile in Milan, showcase innovations in materials, furniture technologies, and interior concepts, influencing residential and contract markets around the world.

Mobili thus encompasses a broad, evolving field at the intersection of craft, design, and industry, reflecting functional needs and cultural aesthetics in living spaces.