As the world's most important furniture show, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, gets underway this week (April 17-22), there will be some unconventional names on the floor.
Automakers are normally keen to trumpet their credentials in both engineering and design, and they seem to have found the perfect outlet at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile.
Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Jaguar are among the names present at the show, which opens to the public on April 21 and showcases the creations of over 2,000 designers.
For Mercedes-Benz, it will be the world premiere of the Style furniture collection, designed and built in collaboration with the Formitalia Luxury Group.
Fans of the sharp lines of Mercedes-Benz will be able to pick from one sofa, a chaise longue, a dining room table, various chairs, a sideboard, a shelf unit with integrated home theater system, a chest of drawers and a bed, all set to go on sale from October this year.
While the distinctive designs are intended to be elegant, they are intended to incorporate touches from automotive design, with the Mercedes-Benz logo, a bevel 'reminiscent of the air intake on a sports car' on the table top and wooden backrest shells inspired by research models.
Audi hasn't quite managed a whole collection, but it's put a lot of effort into a single prototype of a chair, designed to showcase its ultra lightweight technology.
The R18 Ultra Chair is built using an aluminium alloy for the legs and carbon-fiber for the seat and backrest, providing a super-light structure which can be quickly disassembled and transported in a box.
Jaguar has opted to display its cars in an area it's titled the collectors' garage, although art fans may be more interested in the installation it has put together with AD Magazine, celebrating Italian style in design through a series of images from the late 19th century to today.
