Interview a Philip Scarfia, raised amidst the scent of wood and the work of his hands in the carpentry and artisanal manufacturing workshop founded by his father over 50 years ago. With passion and attention to contemporary needs, the workshop produces tailor-made furniture and personalized furnishings with a single goal: to offer only excellent service.
Filippo, the brand bears your name but has deep roots. How do you carry on a craft legacy without remaining tied to the past?
Carrying on a legacy of craftsmanship means understanding its value and knowing how to bring it to life. This company was founded in 1974 from the experience of my father, Salvatore, and a working method based on skill, patience, and respect for wood. This history has now given rise to a new phase, with a more contemporary identity that preserves its essence intact. The language, design, and approach to project interpretation have changed, but the attention to detail, the quality of the workmanship, and the care with which each piece of furniture is crafted remain unchanged.
Filippo Scarfia's bedroom skillfully blends noble materials and sophisticated furnishing solutions. Photo © Scarfia Milano
Your approach treats living and sleeping areas as spaces to be designed coherently. How does this vision translate into practice?
The starting point is always an overall vision, capable of creating continuity between spaces. When we design a kitchen, a sideboard, a paneling, or a bedroom solution, we evaluate the relationship between materials, proportions, light, and function from the outset. Each element is designed to interact with the others and contribute to a coherent, recognizable, and harmonious whole.
One of Filippo Scarfia's kitchens, featuring fine woods and precious marbles. Photo © Scarfia Milano.
A detail of Filippo Scarfia's kitchen. Photo © Scarfia Milano.
Wood is the undisputed protagonist of your collections. What fascinates you about this material, and how do you interpret it in your new creations?
Wood has a unique quality: it's a living material. It changes with the light, reacts over time, and adds depth to surfaces. Each wood has its own identity, from warm, grained Canaletto walnut to more contemporary stained oak. In our new offerings, we've worked extensively on texture, rhythm, and tactile perception. The ribbed pattern was born from this very research: to make the material an expressive element.
Brera-style sideboard featuring a ribbed motif and a Breccia Capraia marble top. Photo © Scarfia Milano.
You often work with architects and industry professionals on residential and contract projects. What do designers look for when they turn to Filippo Scarfia?
A professional seeks reliability, precision, and the ability to listen, but also a partner who can understand the overall vision of the project and translate it into concrete, coherent, and achievable solutions. We act as a partner throughout all development phases, providing technical expertise, knowledge of materials, and attention to detail. Dialogue with the architect is often what makes the difference in the final result.
Quality, durability, and attention to detail: these are values that seem to go against the grain of certain contemporary market trends. Is this a conscious choice?
Yes, it's a very conscious choice. We design and create furniture designed to last over time, functionally, aesthetically, and emotionally. A piece of furniture that, after twenty years, retains its value, its solidity, and its ability to convey a story is, for us, the best possible result. This requires attention, expertise, and care at every stage: from workmanship to finishes, right down to the choice of materials.
Filippo Scarfia's bookcase is a play of contrasts between solids and voids, wood and stone: it features ribbed doors in teak-stained oak and a natural slate back panel. Photo © Scarfia Milano.
On the cover, Filippo Scarfia. Photo © Scarfia Milano.
