alessandro isola reinterprets the coffee table

alessandro isola reinterprets the coffee table
all images courtesy of alessandro isola

as you enter a room you can immediately feel the evidence of an occupant. either they’re in the space with you, or you feel the atmosphere of an event that has since occurred. for instance, if you look down you may see a crease or a wrinkle in the carpet, signifying a movement or activity that happened on that very floor. highlighted as a small furrow, ridge, or crease on a normally smooth surface, this usually causes a slight annoyance and is firmly pulled straight. for his project called ‘stumble upon,’ alessandro isola uses these folds and curves to an advantage that creates a flexibile and practical coffee table.

the coffee table within a living room setting

any disruption of the corner edge momentarily reveals the craftsmanship of the design. a single sheet provides two conditions at differing levels. for comfort and usability, the material choice of these two surfaces creates a sharp contrast between the top part of the rug and the underlay. the top gives the sense that it has been handmade with beautiful imperfections. in opposition, the under laying material is perfectly smooth. this goes against the properties of a typical carpet, whose back features an unappealing texture made for gripping the floor. within this concept, it is polished and reflective to produce an unexpected effect where the decor of the surrounding space is recreated. from tripping on a carpet to an annoying accident that happens constantly, the coincidence has become the influence for an everyday usable object. this ability allows the furniture to be configured and tessellated into multi-functional surfaces that suit the moment.

closeup of the polished undersurface reflecting a desk of books

detail of the curved edge

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.