Growing up with a tall Quarter horse and a pot-bellied Hackney pony, riding them at my grandparents’ farm was some of the most fun we had in our youth. To this day, the smell and touch of saddle-hide leather has reminded me of cantering through the soft meadows of the Midwest. Thanks to the touch and smell of the Tatlin bed by Rodolfo Dordoni for Minotti, the Italian-made “saddle-hide” headboard would be the perfect background to a bed’s (reality-based) dreamland.

Tatlin bed. Designed by Rodolfo Dordoni. Manufactured by Minotti.

Of Refined Leather and Optional Upholstery: The Tatlin Bed by Minotti

Not the most straightforward headboard, the Tatlin bed must be broken down into its two potential designs: First, the saddle-hide surface can be used as a two-panel supple leather headboard that is separated from the frame itself. The second way it can be used is as a dressed up, or “soft” version, with upholstered cushions strapped onto its front to match the sides of the bed. Match it to the Hockney sofa by Minotti – with a name that is not lost on me in strikingly familiarity to my horse – and you’ve got an entire master bedroom set.

In mud, tobacco, dark brown or black leather finishes, Minotti says the Tatlin headboards have “detailed workmanship that calls to mind refined luggage – in the rounded corners, the stitching, the lush thickness”. Built using multi-ply wood beneath its headboard and bed frame, the leathery outer layer coats a resilient polyurethane foam of varying densities to give it a strong and comfortable feel. If the Tatlin-Soft version is chosen, the headboard’s two separate cushions use non-allergenic fiber padding and straps to keep them in place, matching the cushion and bed frame cover.

In its purely tactile leather finish or with the soft effect of detachable cushions, the Tatlin bed by Rodolfo Dordoni for Minotti brings out a touchable elegance unmatched by metal or wood alternatives.

About the Manufacturer: Founded in the 1950s by Alberto Minotti, the Italian furniture manufacturer we know as Minotti has been a serious staple in high quality pieces for over 6o years now. By the 1980s, the family-named company blossomed into an internationally-known brand, and architect Rodolfo Dordoni joined Renato and Roberto Minotti as the driving creative force behind the brand’s innovative side. In everything from chairs and beds to tables and bookcases, the Minotti brand seeks to work with truly authentic designers in creating timeless, modern classics.