“Wood is our passion”

Literally and figuratively speaking, Old Line is built on wood. It was more than four decades ago that the Italian kitchen manufacturer decided to invent a brand new line of kitchen design: one that is authentic, uncompromising, and - last but not least - responsible. It is deeply rooted in Old Line’s philosophy that taking care of its precious material is essential in establishing trust in clients all over the world. As the founders of Old Line put it, working with wood means that you work, live and breathe with your own, natural environment, and this is a responsibility that goes beyond the world of design. To find out more about the brand’s vision in a modern industry, and their Hungarian premiere at this year’s S/ALON BUDAPEST, we talked to Nicoletta Fedrigo, owner and daughter of one of the founders of Old Line.

What was the main inspiration behind the creation of Old Line 44 years ago?

The founders of our brand were people with an extensive background in woodwork and were masters of cabinet making. Not only that, but wood was always at the heart of their profession. They believed - and Old Line still believes - that working with wood is being in a symbiosis with our environment. Wood is a natural, warm and tactile material that resonates with people on a deep level. Our founders decided to utilize all their expertise and knowledge of wood and make it into the brand that we know as Old Line today.

What are the best types of wood for your cabinets? What are some of the notable differences between these wood varieties?

We use several types of wood when creating our collections. For most of our furniture collections we use oak, the so-called “Noce Canaletto” walnut and linden. Oak is a very sturdy and durable species of wood with real character, and we use it for a wide range of products from the Modern through the Classic collections.

Walnut Noce Canaletto is a prestigious wood: very elegant and gives every piece of furniture a unique aesthetic. Linden is a lighter species of wood with closed pores that make it ideal for lacquered finishes.

The protection of the environment and thriving for a sustainable industry are among the most important values of Old Line. How do you make sure that the production of your signature cabinets and furniture have the least amount of impact on the environment?

We buy wood from our circle of trusted suppliers that have been granted the FSC Italia certificate. What this certification means is that, by working with them, we have a clear idea of where our wood comes from, and that it comes from a responsible source. It is essential for Old Line to make sure that the base material of our outstanding products comes from responsibly managed forests that contribute to the preservation of forest ecosystems, rather than completely depleting them.

Moreover, we are working hard to avoid unnecessary waste of this noble material: thanks to one of our initiatives we started to re-use residual wood for the heating system of our factory in the colder seasons. We also aim to work with local suppliers in order to reduce the environmental stress caused by transportation of our materials.

You have collections that range from classical through modern and contemporary products. Do you see a changing trend in how people react to these different styles? Are contemporary aesthetics more popular in 2021, or is it the classical style that customers are reaching out for these days?

Because we operate in a number of countries across the globe, we see the trends in many different markets and how they differ from each other. In some areas, customers prefer this collection over that, and in another area it is the other way around. One thing that makes our portfolio unique is that all the models can be perfectly combined with each other with no regard for the collection they originate from. We see many cases where Classic products are mixed with Contemporary or Modern models. One of the more obvious trends, though, is the rising popularity of our latest collection, Glamour.

Old Line will make its first appearance in Hungary at this year’s S/ALON BUDAPEST, which we are all eagerly looking forward to. What can visitors expect from the company at the exhibition?

We are excited to present Glamour, our aforementioned, new collection at S/ALON BUDAPEST 2021 in collaboration with our Hungarian business partner, Indagroup. This is a collection we are all proud of, it was designed to change the face of contemporary kitchen design. The unmistakable appearance of the Canetè doors and stunning brass elements result in an elegant aesthetic that is neither classical, nor modern, it can only be described as glamorous!

We will also showcase a number of our most outstanding products; a solid wood kitchen with an abundance of hand-crafted details, complete with state-of-the-art sliding doors. Our Puzzle doors will also have their Hungarian debut at the event, these fronts were put together piece by piece, just like a real jigsaw puzzle. And there’s even more - but you’ll have to come to visit Old Line at the exhibition and see for yourself!

Fortunately for all design enthusiasts, Old Line is expected to stay in Hungary after its debut at S/ALON BUDAPEST. Where will your fine line of wooden furniture be available?

We are happy to announce that, thanks to Indagroup, our beautiful kitchens will find their new home in the MaxCity interior decoration store close to the city of Törökbálint. We hope that our appearance at S/ALON BUDAPEST will inspire a new Hungarian audience to come and explore our full product range at this wonderful new location.

Finally, if you could pick one Old Line product as your favorite, which one would it be?

Hard to choose, but our walnut Canetè doors of the Glamour collection are absolutely astonishing.

It’s a real design premiere at S/ALON BUDAPEST: don’t miss Old Line’s Hungarian debut at this year’s exhibition at the Bupadest Arena! Buy your tickets now and let’s meet between September 24-26. for an unforgettable weekend of new inspirations. Until then, our official Facebook and Instagram pages await you with the latest in Hungarian and international design, so be sure to subscribe!