Some sofas are recognisable at first glance. The Marenco by Arflex is one of them: generous, almost "puffy" cushions, cylindrical armrests, a softness that invites you to sit down before you even touch it. At Mariani — an authorised official Arflex retailer in Milan and Arluno, furnishing homes since 1928 — we consider it one of the most successful Italian seating designs of all time. On this page we tell you why, and how to choose it well.
Looking for the price? Go to price and configurations ↓
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
VAT included. The range depends on the configuration and the upholstery.
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.
The exact price of your configuration, right away.
We are an official Arflex retailer working from the direct price list: tell us size, version and upholstery and we reply with the price of your composition.
We reply from our showroom with the current Arflex price list. If you prefer, you can also write to us from the contact page.
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.
The Marenco sofa at a glance
Design — Mario Marenco for Arflex, 1970
Type — modular seating system: armchair, sofas, corner elements, poufs
Upholstery — fabric, technical fabric or leather (removable fabric covers)
Price — from €6,113 to over €26,000 incl. VAT, depending on configuration and upholstery
Variants — version without armrests, Outdoor collection
Where to try it — Mariani Design showrooms, Milan San Babila and Arluno
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.
- In-house delivery and assembly — your composition is delivered and assembled by the Mariani team, never subcontractors.
- 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
Milan · San Babila
Via Uberto Visconti di Modrone, 8/a — 20122 Milan
Mon–Fri 10:30am–6:30pm non-stop · Closed Saturday and Sunday
Arluno
Via Guglielmo Marconi, 12 — 20004 Arluno (MI)
Mon 3:00pm–7:30pm · Tue–Fri 9:00am–12:30pm / 3:00pm–7:30pm · Sat 9:00am–12:30pm / 3:00pm–6:00pm
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
How much does the Marenco sofa cost?
From €6,113 to over €26,000, VAT included. The range depends on the configuration — from the 188 cm linear sofa to the large corner compositions — and above all on the upholstery: fabric, technical fabric or leather. We are an official Arflex retailer working from the direct price list: choose your configuration and message us on WhatsApp, we reply with the exact price of your composition.
Does the Marenco have removable covers?
Yes: in the fabric versions the cover is completely removable, so it can be washed or replaced over the years. The leather versions are the exception. It's one of the reasons the Marenco is an excellent "everyday" sofa, even with children and pets at home.
Which sizes and compositions exist?
In the Arflex price list the Marenco comes as a linear sofa in four widths (188, 254, 255 and 354 cm), in three corner compositions (MN 01 257×233 cm, MN 02 324×260 cm, MN 03 423×296 cm), as an armchair with or without armrests and as a pouf (67×67 and 96×96 cm). For bespoke compositions there are the modular elements: corner, with one armrest, without armrests, island. In the showroom we build the right configuration together, starting from your floor plan — and if you like, you preview it in renders and VR.
What are the delivery times?
Every Marenco is made to order by Arflex, in the composition and upholstery you choose: lead times therefore vary with the time of year and the configuration. With the quote we give you an up-to-date, realistic estimate; delivery and assembly are handled by our in-house team.
Marenco or Strips?
They are Arflex's two soft icons, but with different characters: the Strips by Cini Boeri has the quilted "duvet" look, the Marenco has full volumes and cylindrical armrests. The honest answer is: sit on both. In our showroom you can do it in the same afternoon.