Michelangelo Melfi Designs – unparalleled influence on custom marine upholstery
Michael (Michelangelo) Melfi is the creative gentleman behind the success of his team’s custom upholstery and handmade lounges and chairs business. Melfi Designs share over 30 years of experience, covering a broad range of upholstery purposes involving the marine, commercial, shopfitting, film and television industries.
Michael is renowned for providing exceptional customer service, advice and workmanship on all of his products. The Melfi Designs team of professional and dedicated artisans are recognised for attention to detail and unique manufacturing processes. The team are easy going and prepared to think outside the box to realise their customers’ desires. They are efficient and possess an outstanding work ethic and passion for what they are creating, which is rare in today’s market and so refreshing to see.
MARINE FITOUTS BY MELFI DESIGNS – If your boat is requiring an update of the interior, Michael can provide refitting consulting services and advice. Melfi Designs can custom make boat interiors and exteriors such as lounges, linings, furniture, mattresses, wall coverings and bedding. Additionally, they can install new soft furnishings, dashboards and boat clears and covers.
A TOUCH OF HOLLYWOOD – Michael is well connected to the local movie industry, regularly supplying movie set custom interiors and soft furnishings for many big budget blockbusters including King Kong, Pirates of the Caribbean, Aquaman, Tidelands, Dora the Explorer, Daybreakers, Fool’s Gold, San Andreas, Terra Nova, and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.
These include but are not limited to lounges, electric recliners, boothing seats, ottomans, bedheads and complete bedframes. All their custom furniture is made to client specifications and requirements, utilizing high quality products such as springs, foam, dacron and hardwood frames to achieve optimum quality and comfort.
HELM CHAIR EXPERTS’ ADVICE – Melfi Designs has developed and manufactured their own custom helm chairs, completely Australian Made with an Italian influence, which are brilliantly designed and engineered. The custom ergonomic helm chairs combine leather, vinyl, stainless steel, electronic controls and footrests to provide comfort, durability and functionality.
When it comes to comfort and the overall design of your boat, your choice of helm chair is one of the most important decisions you will make. It Is one that will ultimately determine whether your voyage will be a pleasant one – or one that leaves you feeling sore and sorry.
Your selection relies heavily on your boat’s primary purpose. Are you taking it out on the high seas, or cruising through canals? Is it going to be battling waves at length, or cruising along the coast? Are you going to be on the ocean for hours on end, or just making runs across the bay to Moreton Island? And who is going to be using the chair? Height and weight are major factors when it comes to dictating the mechanics of your helm chair.
Michael Melfi, firmly believes that your helm chair is a pivotal part of your boating experience and should be built to last. Selecting a helm chair is not a decision that should be made flippantly. It requires time and consideration. Chairs with inferior materials in the structure can wear out more quickly or collapse if put under sustained pressure. Bounce from rough seas might be more inclined to work some parts loose – so it is important that the selection of chair matches the chair’s purpose.
Michael strongly recommends a customised helm chair for anyone with plans to set sail. He believes that someone on the water regularly should be investing in a high quality, customised helm chair that will provide longevity and, ultimately, pay dividends – especially in comfort. Choosing the right helm chair can mean the difference between a pleasant boating experience and a torturous one. Determining the right size and shape for you, and ensuring long lasting structural integrity is essential.
WORKING FOR THE BEST – Melfi Designs provide products and services to many of the industry’s boat builders here and abroad. They also have worked closely with local designers and architects such as Roger Hill Yacht Designer, Donna Maree in NZ and Misha Merzliakov Yacht Design, to name just a few.
To find out about Melfi Designs marine refit services including all boat trimming, canopies, clears and custom furniture, and their range of helm chairs, please contact Michael directly on 0412 862 447 or visit their website at www.mmelfidesigns.com
Published in print July-September 2021