bottega montana
Bottega Montana was founded by two Italian brothers, Francesco and Marco Gillia. After graduating with honors from the Academy of Fine Art in Rome, Francesco moved to Southern California where he developed and refined his skills as a product designer. Meanwhile, back in their hometown of Monte Porzio Catone, Italy, Marco worked for an architectural firm. When the time was right, the two brothers, enriched with different experiences, moved to Lima, Montana. Here they concentrated on their new project, designing and creating furniture. Bottega refers to the Renaissance concept of the Florentine Bottega. The Bottega was a busy, active place dedicated to creation, training, ideas and experimentation. Inside their Bottega, a mix of old world tools and high tech Italian machinery permit Francesco and Marco to create a unique furniture line. Their collection has a classic feel but the engineering details of the joint system add a modern flavor. At Bottega Montana the structural and the aesthetic designs are developed together. Thick slabs of hard wood from sustainable forests are chosen. The joint system permits pieces to be disassembled easily in minutes. The beauty of the wood is enhanced by a hand rubbed tung-oil finish.