Arflex Marenco Sofa in Milan — Official Retailer

The story: Mario Marenco and Arflex, 1970

The Marenco sofa was born in 1970 from a design by Mario Marenco for Arflex, the Brianza-based company that has shaped the history of Italian upholstered furniture since 1947, working with designers such as Marco Zanuso and Cini Boeri. Marenco's idea was simple and radical at once: free the sofa from its rigid box and build it as a set of large independent cushions — seat, back, armrests — mounted on a low base.

The result is a seat that looks soft and welcoming, with those full, rounded volumes that made it instantly recognisable. More than fifty years after its debut, the Marenco is still in the Arflex catalogue as a contemporary re-edition: the same identity, with today's materials and upholstery. That's the mark of the right designs — they don't age, they get updated.

Features: comfort, removable covers, modularity

Behind the "soft" look there is serious construction. The large seat, back and armrest cushions are individually padded and supported by an internal structure that gives the whole its stability: the sofa keeps its shape over time while staying as welcoming as day one.

• Enveloping comfort — deep seats and generous backrests: it's a sofa to live in, not just to look at.
• Completely removable covers — in the fabric versions the cover comes off to be washed or replaced; the leather versions are the exception. A detail that changes the sofa's everyday life.
• Modular — armchair, sofas in several widths, corner elements, elements with or without armrests, and poufs: the possible compositions are countless, from a compact two-seater to a large corner arrangement.
• Cylindrical armrests — the design's aesthetic signature, soft themselves and perfect as an improvised headrest.

Variants, modules and upholstery

The Arflex catalogue offers a very wide range of Marenco elements: an armchair (with or without armrests), sofas in several widths, linear elements with or without armrests, corner elements for L-shaped and island compositions, and poufs in two sizes. There are also the Marenco without armrests, with an even more essential line, and the Marenco Outdoor collection, bringing the same shapes to terraces and gardens.

As for upholstery, the choice is the one Arflex is known for: fabrics from many different families — wools, linens, velvets, bouclés, chenilles and jacquards — and a selection of leathers. Fabric and leather change the sofa's character a great deal (and its price): in the showroom we keep the full sample books, to touch and compare in real light — the only serious way to choose an upholstery.

How much does the Marenco sofa cost: the answer

Anyone looking for the Marenco's price usually only finds "on request". We prefer to tell you the real range of the Arflex price list straight away: it starts with the 188 cm linear sofa in fabric and goes up to the large corner compositions in leather. In between are the configurations below — pick the one you're interested in and we'll give you the exact price.

For bespoke compositions: corner element · element with 1 armrest (161 / 227 / 228 / 327 cm) · element without armrests (134 / 200 / 201 / 300 cm) · corner element with 1 armrest (260 / 359 cm) · island element with corner.

Every configuration comes in a standard or SOFT version, with softer padding: a real choice, best made sitting down in the showroom. The upholstery — fabric, technical fabric or leather — is instead the variable that moves the price the most, which is why the range is so wide.

A practical tip we often share in the showroom: the Marenco is at its best when you give it room to breathe. Its full volumes ask for space — a generous rug, a low coffee table, an atmospheric light like those of the lighting brands we represent. It looks wonderful both in a Milanese apartment with high ceilings and in a more minimal contemporary home, where its softness becomes the warm counterpoint to a rigorous setting. In light upholstery it expresses all its visual lightness; in dark tones or leather it becomes more formal and sculptural.

Why buy it from Mariani

A sofa like the Marenco isn't bought from a photo: it's tried, configured and followed until it's assembled in your home. That's exactly what we do, as an authorised official Arflex retailer in Milan:

• Official retailer — Arflex warranty, access to the full catalogue (not just the display), real configurations and price lists.
• Try it in the showroom — sit down, compare depths and softness, touch fabrics and leathers from the complete sample books.
• Design with renders and VR — before ordering, see your Marenco in your own living room, with photorealistic renders and virtual reality walkthroughs.
• Delivery and assembly by our own team — your composition is delivered and assembled by the Mariani team.
• A complete project — if you wish, we set the sofa into a turn-key interior project with the other brands we represent.

If you're comparing the Arflex icons, we also recommend our guides to the Strips sofa and to Cini Boeri's designs, or the overview of where to see Arflex in Milan. Strips and Marenco are often the two finalists in the same decision: seeing them side by side helps a lot.

Where to try the Marenco sofa: our showrooms

The Marenco is on display and can be tried in both showrooms, in Milan and in Arluno. Before coming, drop us a line: we'll confirm which Arflex compositions and upholsteries are available to try at that moment. You can also reach us from the contact page.

Frequently asked questions about the Marenco sofa