If you're looking to get ahead of 2021 home decor trends, we have a sofa you're going to want to keep an eye on. Though it's currently beloved by influencers like Aimee Song and Athena Calderone (whose light beige version appeared on Vogue Living) and we've spotted the style in homes like Ron Goh's, architect and designer Mario Bellini's Camaleonda was actually created 50 years ago.
The Camaleonda — which is a combination of the Italian words for "chameleon" and "wave" — began being manufactured by furniture company B&B Italia (originally C&B Italia) in 1970. Featuring a system of hooks, rings, and cables, the geometric couch can be rearranged to suit any space and taste — and it looks like it would be ideal in a '70s conversation pit. It's essentially the sofa version of Tetris.
After noticing that Camaleonda was making a comeback on Instagram, B&B Italia collaborated with Bellini to make a 2020 version. The recreation is the same as the original with its 90-by-90 centimeter cushions, but the sofa is now made with recyclable materials in an effort to produce minimal waste.
"Of all the objects I have designed, Camaleonda is perhaps the best in terms of its sense of freedom," Bellini says in Camaleonda's description on B&B Italia. "There are [an] infinite number of possible configurations."
While vintage versions of the Camaleonda can sell upwards of $5,000, a reproduction of the current edition sells on Eternity Modern for $4,530. As for the B&B Italia 2020 version, prices are only available upon request from a registered dealer.
Anna is a Los Angeles-based writer and editor who covers lifestyle and design content for Hunker. She's written for Apartment Therapy, the L.A. Times, Forge, and more. She previously worked as the lifestyle editor at HelloGiggles and deputy editor at So Yummy. Her email: anna.gragert@hunker.com