How Ranieri Turned Lava Into Furniture and Decor

MILAN — Each rock in the Ranieri family’s quarry could tell a story: from Vesuvius’ famous eruptions to the post-World War II rebuild of the city of Naples. And now, for the first time, so will its furniture.

Indeed, materials excavated from their land have been used to build Naples’ Piazza del Plebiscito and revive the city’s bustling streets into the industrial boom. Today, the family-run firm thrives on bespoke interior design and architectural projects with clients around the world. During Design Week here, it exhibited its first furniture pieces, as well as a new material made from its unique lava recycling process. This new phase of growth has been catalyzed by the art directorship of designers and architects Francesco Meda and David Lopez Quincoces, who were appointed in 2023.

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“A whole world is being born from this collaboration, so is a new aesthetic with natural pigments,” Meda enthused of the tables, chairs and even sinks he designed with Lopez Quincoces, unveiled around the city including in the Zucchetti showroom on Corso Venezia 29.

The firm is being pioneered by third-generation family member and chief executive officer Giovanni Ranieri. Ranieri is based in Terzigno, a town rich with archeological artifacts that sits at the foot of Vesuvius. Its main focus is ennobling the essence of lava as a driving force for innovation in a contemporary age, as well as celebrating its centuries-old Neapolitan craftsmanship that has led to the creation of scenographic spaces, settings and projects.

Volcanic rock is more than a material, for Ranieri. Each one is a memento of the past.

“Lava holds both structure and emotion. That’s why it now lives in our collections as furniture, bathtubs, sinks, lighting elements and even limited-edition objects. It has the expressive power of stone, the precision of ceramic, and the uniqueness of glass — all in one. The surprise, perhaps, has been the emotional response people have had. They don’t just see lava, they feel it,” he said.

Looking ahead, the opportunities are limitless, he contended: In interior and architectural design, it allows for sculptural wall details, 3D surfaces and furnishings with flowing, organic forms. In the marine and yachting world, its lightness, strength and resistance to salt and corrosion, make it an ideal choice for high-performance environments. In luxury furnishings, it offers the precision and bold aesthetics needed for statement pieces such as tables, basins and bathtubs. For outdoor and structural applications, it ensures durability against extreme conditions, creating facades and architectural elements that stand the test of time.

Ranieri has worked with a roster of individuals and brands including Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, the Four Seasons Hotel Miami and Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana, among others. Meda and Lopez Quincoces, who were also appointed creative directors of the upscale Acerbis furniture brand in 2020, have infused their own flair into the Odissea collection, which is composed of complementary 2D and 3D elements that are versatile and can be combined and/or arranged in a variety of patterns. Ranieri, who studied international politics in Naples and then took over the family business, said his hope, looking ahead, is for these tiles to be used for works of art and as enduring pieces indoors and outdoors.

In 2024, Ranieri’s turnover increased by 20 percent driven by a strong performance in the U.S., France and the United Arab Emirates.

“These markets remain central to our growth strategy due to the demand for high-end bespoke products and innovative material research,” Ranieri said, adding that the lion’s share of its business is still generated from leading architecture and interior design studios that incorporate Ranieri’s surfaces and objects into private residences, luxury retail spaces and boutique hotels.

Elsewhere during Design Week, at the SNIA factory in Varedo outside of Milan, Ranieri is headlining Alcova with “Under the Volcano,” an immersive installation exploring the raw power of volcanic matter through three key elements: algorithmically eroded lava sculptures by artist Quayola, a soundscape by musician Rodrigo D’Erasmo and an architectural intervention by Meda and Lopez Quincoces.

This year is expected to be transformative and its goals are focused toward expanding its bathroom offerings. It will also unveil a collaboration with Los Angeles-based The Future Perfect later this year and will launch Ranieri Middle East in partnership with Surface Eleven, a surfaces company that aims to bring a portfolio of creative wall and flooring solutions to the interior design industry in the UAE. Founded by David Alhadeff in 2003, The Future Perfect is one of the world’s foremost contemporary design galleries, distinguished by its range of vision and curatorial focus, which showcases studio-created works alongside one-of-a-kind and limited-edition pieces.

“Our ultimate goal is to elevate lava from a material to a language, one that speaks across cultures, industries and disciplines,” Ranieri said.

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