THE CAMALEONDA SOFA WAS THE BOMBSHELL of ’70s living spaces. A modular model with perfect measurements and voluptuous curves in all the right places, the sprawling seating system influenced the way we style our homes and shaped the landscape of modern interiors. Designed by the Italian architect Mario Bellini and launched in 1970 by B&B Italia, the sofa’s appeal is more than upholstery-deep. Like the tango, the modular pieces link together to form multiple configurations, the seats, backrests, arms and ottomans all moving as one, and when pulled apart they perform solo.
The Camaleonda sofa’s metamorphic ability to adapt to its environment is no accident. As Mario has explained, he invented the name by mixing camaleonte, the Italian word for chameleon, with onda, which translates to wave. Both these words,…
