Le Belle Arti; where Furniture becomes ART.
Le Belle Arti is an Edmonton based modern furniture, lighting and custom design company. The company was created in 1976 by the three Milite brothers; Frank, Joe and Orlando. Since then, Le Belle Arti has been a pioneering force in the design field and it has re-shaped the idea of what a design store can be. With currently two locations in Edmonton and Calgary, it boasts one of the most comprehensive collection of modern furniture, lighting, accessories and kitchens in Canada. The company is a true representation of European design, with a main emphasis toward Italian design for residential, contract and hospitality. Le Belle Arti stems from the groups capacity to represent modern culture and respond quickly to the needs that emerge from today’s evolving lifestyles. It is this alchemy, resulting from a mixture of creativity and innovation, that creates modern, yet timeless pieces of furniture. To this end, Le Belle Arti collaborates with companies whose designs include world renowned designers and architects such as: Antonio Citterio, Carlo Scarpa, Paolo Piva, Philippe Stark, Renzo Piano, Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright and many more, leaving it’s own distinctive mark on each product. Every design is unique and is an exemplification of the values of research, creativity and function.
Humble Beginnings
In 1971, brothers Frank, Joe and Orlando opened a glass furniture manufacturing shop. Quickly they shifted their focus into manufacturing modern furniture in Teak and Rosewood, and supplied several Scandinavian furniture stores in Edmonton. However, with the opening of Le Belle Arti in 1976, the focus shifted again. The new collection included a combination of 3 materials; exotic woods and lacquers, brushed stainless steel and glass. The collection which was sold throughout Canada as well as in the U.S.A., was bold yet timeless, and it enraptured a captive audience.
Even though the focus of the manufacturing division of Le Belle Arti was exclusively to design and produce only furniture, and not be involved in millwork or kitchen cabinets, in 1997 they were asked to design and manufacture a modern kitchen, bathroom vanities and wardrobes. It was not long until word of mouth brought a new direction to the company’s focus. For the next 10 years, 90% of the production was concentrated on very unique and innovative kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, produced with some of the most expensive wood and sophisticated hardware imported from Europe. Soon the demand for custom designed kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities grew, filling a gap in the market. The brothers, now two; Joe and Orlando, as Frank had suddenly passed away in 2003, decided to form a partnership with one of the leading cabinet manufacturers in Italy, Snaidero, in addition to their retail operation. On September 19, 2008 Le Belle Arti added Snaidero kitchens to it’s already fast growing collection. Le Belle Arti and Snaidero provide the Canadian market with the finest Italian kitchen designs, created by the world’s foremost architects and designers such as Ferrari designer Pininfarina, International architect Massimo Losa Ghini, Lucci Orlandi and many more. Under the leadership of the Le Belle Arti team and owner Dario Snaidero, a multi-housing division was created, allowing for collaboration with developers and builders on different projects across Canada.
Le Belle Arti is not just a furniture store. Le Belle Arti is an interactive design research centre, a playground for the spirit, and an esplanade for discovery. It is a resource focused on creating environments that affect people’s lives. Every item they sell, from a teaspoon, to a sofa, is representative of a unifying design philosophy. It must be aesthetically appealing and comfortable, provide uncompromising quality, and offer sound value and service. With a growing demand for beautiful and functional living spaces, more of us want our homes designed to suit our tastes, passions and lifestyles. Many of the items we carry are exclusive to Le Belle Arti, making each of them to be a strong, consistent statement about who we are, why, and what we exemplify.
Le Belle Arti believes in the importance of creating enduring relationships with the companies it represents as well as with its clients. They have built a long standing relationship with an international roster of designers, as well as Europe’s most important manufacturers of modern furniture, lighting, kitchen and accessories. B&B Italia, Maxalto, Cassina, Flexform, Minotti, Zanotta, MDF Italia, Ingo Maurer, Fontana Arte, Studio Italia, Luceplan, Kasthall, Kymo, Carl Hansen and Son, Herman Miller, Adelta, just to name a few. These invaluable associations offer the clients an incomparable selection of the most exquisite furnishings available. Le Belle Arti’s in-house team manages the entire spectrum of the clients experience from selection, to installation, providing an unrivaled level of attention at each step.