Conference and boardroom chairs Catifa Up by Arper at the meeting table

The icon grew a taller back: how Catifa Up earns its seat in the boardroom

Arper

Lievore Altherr Molina

Meeting room chair
Catifa Up Meeting room chair
£ 2,342

What did you have in mind?

Trade terms for professionals and design studios

Icons rarely change, and when they do there is a reason. Catifa Up is inspired by Catifa 53 — the 2001 piece Arper calls part of its very identity — and its one decisive move is a higher backrest. A chair admired in cafés and public halls needed more behind the shoulders to hold a two-hour agenda: the curve stays graceful, the support grows with the job. Lievore Altherr Molina drew it in 2017, keeping the refined profile while giving meetings what meetings actually need.

The programme is compact and legible: two declared shells — standard upholstered or Catifa Up Soft with its double frontal cushion — three aluminium bases, from the swivel trestle on glides to the five-spoke with gas lift, and optional aluminium armrests in the base finish. Executive offices, residential workspaces, waiting and visitor seating all borrow the same silhouette. For UK projects, La Mercanti maps shells and bases room by room, with delivery times confirmed in writing at order confirmation.

Technical information based on data declared by the manufacturer.

Collection: Catifa Up, conference and boardroom chair inspired by Catifa 53, with a higher backrest
Manufacturer: Arper (Monastier di Treviso, Italy)
Design: Lievore Altherr Molina, 2017
Process: profile obtained through an innovative manufacturing process patented by Arper
SOFT shell: polypropylene, upholstered with a double frontal cushion
Standard shell: polypropylene, upholstered with a non-removable cover
Upholstery: fabric, leather, coated fabric, or the customer's fabric or leather, on both shells
Type 1: swivel trestle base in polished or lacquered aluminium, on glides
Type 2: fixed trestle base on self-braking castors
Type 3: five-spoke aluminium base with gas-lift mechanism and self-braking castors
Compatibility: the manufacturer declares the shells combinable with all the bases in the collection
Armrests: optional, in aluminium in the same finish as the base; the armrest version uses a dedicated shell, to be specified at order stage
Assembly: no screws, no tools, following the manufacturer's diagram
Castors: self-braking, declared suitable for hard and soft floors
Intended use: Arper references EN 16139 for non-domestic seating, general and extreme levels
Care: weekly low-power vacuuming for fabrics; dry stain removers admitted for greasy stains; coated fabrics with microfibre, no alcohol or solvents; leather away from direct sunlight and heat
End of life: the manufacturer recommends separating components by material type before delivery to collection centres
Notes: periodic check of fixing tightness; mechanical components serviced by authorised personnel only

La Mercanti Srl — trusted supplier for design and contract projects since 1997.
San Benedetto del Tronto (AP), Italy · +39 0735 753833 · info@lamercanti.com
Supply, quotations, specifications and project support across the UK and worldwide.

Documents and Catalogues

Arper News Catalogue Arper Catalogue Arper Office Catalogue Arper Outdoor Catalogue Arper Arper for Hospitality Arper Arper for Education Arper Arper for Healthcare Arper Arper for Transportation FSC Certifications Arper Case Studies

FAQ

What separates Catifa Up Soft from the standard version?
The declared difference is the padding: the Soft shell carries a double frontal cushion for greater comfort, while the standard shell is upholstered with a non-removable cover. Bases, coverings and profile stay shared.
Do the castor versions cope with both carpet and hard floors?
Yes — the manufacturer declares the self-braking castors suitable for hard and soft floors. State the floor type in the order when a building mixes both.
How should the leather version be looked after?
Keep it away from direct sunlight and heat sources, dust with a soft dry cloth and absorb stains immediately. Test any product on a hidden area first, waiting 24 hours.
What does the declared warranty cover?
Arper declares a product built from quality materials with the sector's best technologies, and declines liability for damage caused by improper use — sitting on armrests included.
Who is allowed to service the gas-lift column?
Authorised personnel only: the sheet reserves any intervention on mechanical components to the manufacturer's channel. Routine care stays with the user; mechanics do not.

How to run a proper sit test before choosing Catifa Up

Five steps for a thirty-minute trial that tells you more than any brochure — and settles the shell question for good.

Book the real room
Test Catifa Up in the meeting room it is destined for, not in a corridor: light, table height and floor all change how a chair reads.
Sit through one real agenda
Keep the chair under a genuine meeting, not a two-minute try: comfort declares itself somewhere after the first half hour.
Swap shells mid-meeting
Change between the standard shell and the Soft halfway through — the double frontal cushion is best judged by contrast, not description.
Let three builds compare
Have different statures try the same chair in sequence; a boardroom chair must fit the room's whole cast, not its tallest member.
Write the verdict immediately
Note shell, base and covering while impressions are fresh — La Mercanti turns that note into a quotation with delivery times confirmed in writing.

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