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The essentials: 20 of the best tables

From the sculptural to the minimalist: 20 iconic tables selected by Domusweb.

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2. Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand, “LC 6” table, 1928, currently produced by Cassina

As with many of the furniture designed by the Le Corbusier, Jeanneret, Perriand trio, “LC 6” represents the very concept of modernity: programmatically conceived with the essential nature of a machine. Formally neutral, it is therefore also suitable for office use.

First produced in 1974, it has a steel base enamelled in black, light blue, grey, green, mud or ivory, and tops in crystal or textured glass, or in natural, black stained oak or American walnut finishes, or in white Carrara or black Marquiña marble.

 

dimensions: l. 170 x w. 75 x h. 71 cm

2. Alvar Aalto, “Aalto Table”, Artek, 1935

In continuous production since it was first designed, this table is the essence of Nordic design, particularly for the detail of the legs in solid curved wood, which have an L-shaped leg simply screwed to the top. Aalto defined the L-leg “the little sister of the architectural column”.

Structure in solid varnished birch with a 4 cm-thick top available in Birch veneer, white laminate and black Linoleum. Traditionally used both in domestic environments and in contract design. Available with rectangular and round tops and in special combinations.

dimensions: l. 120 x w. 60 x h. 74 cm; l. 135 x w. 85 x h. 74 cm; l. 120-150 x w. 75-85 x h. 74 cm; l. 182 x w. 91 x h. 74 cm; l. 210-240 x w. 100 x h. 74 cm; 125-100-70-60 in diameter x h. 74 cm

2. Luigi Caccia Dominioni, “Cavalletto” table, Azucena, 1947/48, currently produced by B&B Italia

Designed for the aristocratic home of the Caccia Dominioni family in Piazza sant’Ambrogio, Milan, the “Cavalletto” table was the first item to be produced by Azucena. It still astounds today for its absolute minimalism. The particular shape of the top led to the definition of the “Caccia oval”.

The “cavalletto” table returned to production in 2018, and has a structure in flat and tubular metal, and a top in lacquered wood.

 

dimensions: l. 180 x w. 70 x h. 71 cm

2. Franco Albini, “Cavalletto” table, Poggi, 1950, currently produced by Cassina

Characterised by an articulated geometric shape, “Cavalletto” is an excellent example of Albini’s philosophy towards furniture design, proposing light, compact items which are truly multi-functional. 

With production beginning again in 2008, this trestle table has a frame and top in American walnut or in natural ashwood or ashwood stained black. The assembly is by means of screws and two dark brass pulleys which brace the frame.

 

dimensions: l. 180 x w. 70 x h. 71 cm

2. Jean Prouvé, “Trapèze” table, 1950/54, currently produced by Vitra

Initially designed for the conference room at the Cité Universitarie d’Antony, it demonstrates Prouvè’s extraordinary ability to shape sheet steel, therefore raising a material of industrial origins to noble heights.

“Trapèze” has a high-pressure laminate top, and legs and crossbeam in bent sheet steel, powder-coated in black.

It is available in two sizes: l. 223 x w. 72,5 x h. 72 cm; l. 332 x p. 72,5 x h. 72 cm

2. Eero Saarinen, “Pedestal” table (also known as “Tulip” or “150°”), Knoll International, 1956

Saarinen claimed that with this project, he would have, once and for all, resolved the “ugly, confusing, unrestful world” of legs which usually lay underneath tables, a goal which was achieved to perfection, particularly with the extraordinary very large oval models. It is now, without a doubt, the most iconic table on the market.

Base with a single central pedestal in cast aluminium, supporting a circular or oval top in various finishes: laminate, marble, granite or fibreboard.

circular dimensions: diameter 91-107-120-137-152 x h. 72 cm

oval dimensions: l. 198 x w. 121 x h.73; l. 244 x w. 137 x h. 73 cm

2. Piet Hein, Bruno Mathsson, “Super-elliptical” collection, Fritz Hansen, 1964-68

More than a table, this is a veritable geometrical theorem on the construction of ellipses (it is no coincidence that the project was inspired by the ideas of Piet Hein, philosopher and mathematician), reaching notable sizes with the various models. Of particular interest is the design of the trisected legs, which resemble a force diagram.

The model is characterised by the shape of the top, which lies somewhere between an oval and a rectangle. Trisected legs in painted tubular steel and top with the characteristic tapered border in various finishes (veneer, laminate, etc.). The same model also offers a version designed by Arne Jacobsen with a metal two-legged base and cross-beam.

dimensions: l. 135 x w. 90 x h. 72 cm; l. 150-170 x w. 100 x h. 72 cm; l. 180-300 x w. 120 x h. 72 cm

2. Warren Platner, “Platner” collection, Knoll International, 1966

A highly demonstrative table, the repetition of a simple element, a metal rod curved in two dimensions, can create an extraordinary style icon. Its status is confirmed by the presence of this piece in many American film sets of the time.

The Platner table is part of the collection of the same name which includes coffee tables, dining chairs and armchairs. The structure is made up of shaped metal horizontal and vertical rods, nickel-finished and coated with a clear protective varnish. Bronze and 18 k gold finishes are also now available. The top is clear tempered glass with a bevelled edge.

dimensions: diameter 135 x h.70 cm

2. Carlo Scarpa, “Doge” table, Simon International, 1968, currently produced by Simon/Cassina

Carlo Scarpa designed furniture with the same intensity that he applied to interior design. This can be seen with this masterpiece of a table, with its extended, “almost environmental” dimensions, and the wealth of details, from the brushed steel to the visible screws.

As well as the original version in brushed steel, the table base is now available in polished aluminium, polished gunmetal, polished copper or matt red versions. The tops are in float glass or two types of marble: Carrara white or Marquiña black. Visible burnished screws and brass washers.

dimensions: l. 260-306-356-432 x w.102 x h. 72 cm

2. Superstudio, “Quaderna” square table, Zanotta, 1970

Evidence of the utopian phase in Italian design, the “Quaderna” table is part of a wide range of projects where Superstudio applied the square pattern from notebooks not only to furniture, but also to architecture and the surrounding territory.

Honeycomb core structure coated with white plastic laminate, silk-screen printed with black squares at 3 cm spacing.

dimensions: l. 111 x w. 111 x h. 72 cm; l. 126 x w. 126 x h. 72 cm; l. 180 x w. 90 x h. 72 cm

2. Angelo Mangiarotti, “Eros” collection, Skipper, 1970, now produced by Agapecasa

Gravity-based embedding, which can be obtained only with the use of a heavy material, lends form to the most beautiful marble table ever designed. Four eyelets are carved into the edge of the top, accommodating conical legs which, as Mangiarotti said, are an allusion to “the male-female connection, which fortunately still works”.

Tables in white Carrara, black Marquiña, grey Carnico, green Alpi and Emperador Dark marble (they can also be supplied with two-colour finishes, using black and white marble for tops and supports).

The construction provides for a gravity-based embedding between the top and the legs, obtained thanks to the conical shape of the legs which hold the top in a stabilised position. It comes in various shapes (square, rectangular, elliptical, round or triangular).

dimension of table with eyelets on the edge: l. 240 x w.100 x h. 72 cm; l. 145 x w. 145 x h. 72 cm; l. 170 x w. 170 x h. 72 cm; 

2. Enzo Mari, “Frate” table, Driade, 1974

The name given to furniture does not always refer so precisely to the type of object as it does in the case of this table. “Frate” from “fratino” (the long, narrow tables that furnished the refectories in convents), or from “fratello”, the Italian word for “brother”. A clear evocation of the essential nature of the design which, at the beginning of the 1970s, was a forerunner for minimalism.

Frame in anthracite black painted steel sections connected by a solid wood beam.  Top in 12 mm-thick tempered glass.

dimensions: l. 130-200-210-225-275-300 x w. 80 x h. 72 cm

2. Vittorio Livi, “Ragno” table, Fiam, 1984

A table with an almost magical appearance. The result of the single-material construction and the curve of the glass produces an effect of suspension and disorientation. “Ragno” paved the way, over time, for a multitude of copies and citations.

Monolithic dining table in transparent or extralight 15 mm-thick curved glass.

dimensions: l. 188 x w. 98 x h. 75 cm; l. 228 x w. 108 x h. 75 cm

2. Norman Foster, “Nomos” system, 1986

On its launch, “Nomos” provoked a kind of revolution. The central backbone from which the legs and feet branch off evoked a large spider, while the transparency of the top was a break from the principles of office furniture by lending visibility to legs. Soon, architects began to also use it in domestic settings.

A system of tables and desks with tubular metal structures, tops in back-painted clear and ultra-clear tempered glass, or high-pressure laminate or wood essence. The office versions can be fitted with superstructures and screens, and a plastic vertebra secured to the frame provides orderly access for cables from the floor.

dimensions: various lengths and widths are available, including l. 80-120-160 x w. 60-80-100-120-160 cm

2. Elliott Littman, “Lybra” table, Driade, 1992

A sculptor-writer who moved into design, Littmann even managed to “lighten” a steel support beam, allowing this very big table to appear as light as an insect’s wing.

Silver grey painted steel structure, 12 mm tempered glass top.

dimensions: l. 270/324 x w. 120/144 x h. 72 cm

2. Achille Castiglioni, “95” table, è De Padova, 1995

Achille Castiglioni was, in a certain sense, an “illusionist” designer, and with this project, he put his powers to the test by making the top “float”. In reality, it is supported by slender hidden brackets between the wooden legs and the marble top (the most critical design point for this type of table) which create this magical suspended effect.

Legs in aniline-dyed charcoal-coloured solid ash wood. Steel frame and brackets made of gravity cast aluminium matt black epoxy-polyester powder coated. Top in Calacatta Oro marble, Valentine Grey, Greystone marble, Gris du Marais or Pietra d’Avola stone with edge finished by helical moulding, or in wood particle board panel, veneered in smoked oak.

dimensions: rectangular l. 220-280 x w. 100 x h. 71.5 cm;

                     square 140 x 140 x h. 71.5; 180 x 180 x h. 71.5 cm

                     round diameter 140-180 x h. 71.5 cm

2. Jean Nouvel, “Less” table, 1994, Unifor, later “LessLess”, Molteni

Originally designed for the offices of the Cartier Foundation in Paris, the “Less” table became a symbol of minimalist design. Despite being made of metal (originally steel and then aluminium) it achieves a high level of de-materialisation and “transparency”. Jean Nouvel wanted people to ask: “Comment c’est fait? Comment ça tient?”, and this was in fact regularly the case.

A collection of rectangular or square tables made entirely in aluminium and painted in various colours. It is characterised by a very slim top (the rigidity of the top is obtained by bending the sheet metal along inclined planes).

dimensions: l. 190 x w. 90 x h. 72 cm; l. 160 x w. 80 x h. 72 cm; l. 230 x w. 100 x h. 72 cm; l. 140 x w. 140 x h. 72 cm; l. 100 x w. 100 x h. 72 cm

2. Bruno Fattorini, Robin Rizzini, “Robin” table, MDF Italia, 2012

Can cement fly? This seems to be the question posed by the “Robin” table. The thinness of the legs and the top are in fact in stark contrast with the overall size of the table and with the surfaces in cement. A strange effect which immediately became a “classic”.

The 30 mm-thick table top consists of a composite panel with inner steel frame and a resin honeycomb core coated on both sides with aluminium foil. The panel is high pressure laminate coated with cement. The legs are made of 30 mm diameter steel tubes with structural ties, with a surface coating of cement.

dimensions: rectangular and square tables available in various sizes. l. 160-180-200-240 x w. 90 x h. 73 cm; l. 100-220-240-260-280-300 x w. 100 x h. 73 cm; l. 120-260-280-300 x w. 120 x h. 73 cm; l. 140 x w. 140 x h. 73 cm

2. Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby, “Tobi-Ishi” table, B&B Italia, 2012

In the great diatribe between essential and sculptural tables, “Tobi-Ishi” clearly falls into the second category. Monolithic and material, the design is influenced by the large solitary stones which characterise Japanese gardens.

Top in MDF wood fibre panel, legs in high density polyurethane resin, finished in cement grout or painted (glossy or matt). Later also produced in Carrara white marble or Marquiña black marble and, since 2017, in cement for outdoor use.

dimensions: l. 240 x w. 114 cm x h. 73.5 cm

2. Tokujin Yoshioka, “Element” collection, Desalto, 2013

A challenge to the laws of gravity, the “Element” table moves away from the standard perpendicular relationship between the frame and the top, creating a play of unstable balance. The design, of clear complexity from an engineering point of view, expresses, on the contrary, the simplicity of a Japanese ideogram.

A collapsible table with a steel structure, top in metal or MDF, with lacquer or handicraft finishes.

dimensions: with round top: diameter 140-160 x h. 72 cm; with rectangular top and single support l. 200-240 x w .99 x h. 72 cm; rectangular top with two supports l. 300 x w. 99 x h. 72 cm; square l. 148 x w. 148 x h. 72 cm

2. Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Charlotte Perriand, “LC 6” table, 1928, currently produced by Cassina

As with many of the furniture designed by the Le Corbusier, Jeanneret, Perriand trio, “LC 6” represents the very concept of modernity: programmatically conceived with the essential nature of a machine. Formally neutral, it is therefore also suitable for office use.

First produced in 1974, it has a steel base enamelled in black, light blue, grey, green, mud or ivory, and tops in crystal or textured glass, or in natural, black stained oak or American walnut finishes, or in white Carrara or black Marquiña marble.

 

dimensions: l. 170 x w. 75 x h. 71 cm

2. Alvar Aalto, “Aalto Table”, Artek, 1935

In continuous production since it was first designed, this table is the essence of Nordic design, particularly for the detail of the legs in solid curved wood, which have an L-shaped leg simply screwed to the top. Aalto defined the L-leg “the little sister of the architectural column”.

Structure in solid varnished birch with a 4 cm-thick top available in Birch veneer, white laminate and black Linoleum. Traditionally used both in domestic environments and in contract design. Available with rectangular and round tops and in special combinations.

dimensions: l. 120 x w. 60 x h. 74 cm; l. 135 x w. 85 x h. 74 cm; l. 120-150 x w. 75-85 x h. 74 cm; l. 182 x w. 91 x h. 74 cm; l. 210-240 x w. 100 x h. 74 cm; 125-100-70-60 in diameter x h. 74 cm

2. Luigi Caccia Dominioni, “Cavalletto” table, Azucena, 1947/48, currently produced by B&B Italia

Designed for the aristocratic home of the Caccia Dominioni family in Piazza sant’Ambrogio, Milan, the “Cavalletto” table was the first item to be produced by Azucena. It still astounds today for its absolute minimalism. The particular shape of the top led to the definition of the “Caccia oval”.

The “cavalletto” table returned to production in 2018, and has a structure in flat and tubular metal, and a top in lacquered wood.

 

dimensions: l. 180 x w. 70 x h. 71 cm

2. Franco Albini, “Cavalletto” table, Poggi, 1950, currently produced by Cassina

Characterised by an articulated geometric shape, “Cavalletto” is an excellent example of Albini’s philosophy towards furniture design, proposing light, compact items which are truly multi-functional. 

With production beginning again in 2008, this trestle table has a frame and top in American walnut or in natural ashwood or ashwood stained black. The assembly is by means of screws and two dark brass pulleys which brace the frame.

 

dimensions: l. 180 x w. 70 x h. 71 cm

2. Jean Prouvé, “Trapèze” table, 1950/54, currently produced by Vitra

Initially designed for the conference room at the Cité Universitarie d’Antony, it demonstrates Prouvè’s extraordinary ability to shape sheet steel, therefore raising a material of industrial origins to noble heights.

“Trapèze” has a high-pressure laminate top, and legs and crossbeam in bent sheet steel, powder-coated in black.

It is available in two sizes: l. 223 x w. 72,5 x h. 72 cm; l. 332 x p. 72,5 x h. 72 cm

2. Eero Saarinen, “Pedestal” table (also known as “Tulip” or “150°”), Knoll International, 1956

Saarinen claimed that with this project, he would have, once and for all, resolved the “ugly, confusing, unrestful world” of legs which usually lay underneath tables, a goal which was achieved to perfection, particularly with the extraordinary very large oval models. It is now, without a doubt, the most iconic table on the market.

Base with a single central pedestal in cast aluminium, supporting a circular or oval top in various finishes: laminate, marble, granite or fibreboard.

circular dimensions: diameter 91-107-120-137-152 x h. 72 cm

oval dimensions: l. 198 x w. 121 x h.73; l. 244 x w. 137 x h. 73 cm

2. Piet Hein, Bruno Mathsson, “Super-elliptical” collection, Fritz Hansen, 1964-68

More than a table, this is a veritable geometrical theorem on the construction of ellipses (it is no coincidence that the project was inspired by the ideas of Piet Hein, philosopher and mathematician), reaching notable sizes with the various models. Of particular interest is the design of the trisected legs, which resemble a force diagram.

The model is characterised by the shape of the top, which lies somewhere between an oval and a rectangle. Trisected legs in painted tubular steel and top with the characteristic tapered border in various finishes (veneer, laminate, etc.). The same model also offers a version designed by Arne Jacobsen with a metal two-legged base and cross-beam.

dimensions: l. 135 x w. 90 x h. 72 cm; l. 150-170 x w. 100 x h. 72 cm; l. 180-300 x w. 120 x h. 72 cm

2. Warren Platner, “Platner” collection, Knoll International, 1966

A highly demonstrative table, the repetition of a simple element, a metal rod curved in two dimensions, can create an extraordinary style icon. Its status is confirmed by the presence of this piece in many American film sets of the time.

The Platner table is part of the collection of the same name which includes coffee tables, dining chairs and armchairs. The structure is made up of shaped metal horizontal and vertical rods, nickel-finished and coated with a clear protective varnish. Bronze and 18 k gold finishes are also now available. The top is clear tempered glass with a bevelled edge.

dimensions: diameter 135 x h.70 cm

2. Carlo Scarpa, “Doge” table, Simon International, 1968, currently produced by Simon/Cassina

Carlo Scarpa designed furniture with the same intensity that he applied to interior design. This can be seen with this masterpiece of a table, with its extended, “almost environmental” dimensions, and the wealth of details, from the brushed steel to the visible screws.

As well as the original version in brushed steel, the table base is now available in polished aluminium, polished gunmetal, polished copper or matt red versions. The tops are in float glass or two types of marble: Carrara white or Marquiña black. Visible burnished screws and brass washers.

dimensions: l. 260-306-356-432 x w.102 x h. 72 cm

2. Superstudio, “Quaderna” square table, Zanotta, 1970

Evidence of the utopian phase in Italian design, the “Quaderna” table is part of a wide range of projects where Superstudio applied the square pattern from notebooks not only to furniture, but also to architecture and the surrounding territory.

Honeycomb core structure coated with white plastic laminate, silk-screen printed with black squares at 3 cm spacing.

dimensions: l. 111 x w. 111 x h. 72 cm; l. 126 x w. 126 x h. 72 cm; l. 180 x w. 90 x h. 72 cm

2. Angelo Mangiarotti, “Eros” collection, Skipper, 1970, now produced by Agapecasa

Gravity-based embedding, which can be obtained only with the use of a heavy material, lends form to the most beautiful marble table ever designed. Four eyelets are carved into the edge of the top, accommodating conical legs which, as Mangiarotti said, are an allusion to “the male-female connection, which fortunately still works”.

Tables in white Carrara, black Marquiña, grey Carnico, green Alpi and Emperador Dark marble (they can also be supplied with two-colour finishes, using black and white marble for tops and supports).

The construction provides for a gravity-based embedding between the top and the legs, obtained thanks to the conical shape of the legs which hold the top in a stabilised position. It comes in various shapes (square, rectangular, elliptical, round or triangular).

dimension of table with eyelets on the edge: l. 240 x w.100 x h. 72 cm; l. 145 x w. 145 x h. 72 cm; l. 170 x w. 170 x h. 72 cm; 

2. Enzo Mari, “Frate” table, Driade, 1974

The name given to furniture does not always refer so precisely to the type of object as it does in the case of this table. “Frate” from “fratino” (the long, narrow tables that furnished the refectories in convents), or from “fratello”, the Italian word for “brother”. A clear evocation of the essential nature of the design which, at the beginning of the 1970s, was a forerunner for minimalism.

Frame in anthracite black painted steel sections connected by a solid wood beam.  Top in 12 mm-thick tempered glass.

dimensions: l. 130-200-210-225-275-300 x w. 80 x h. 72 cm

2. Vittorio Livi, “Ragno” table, Fiam, 1984

A table with an almost magical appearance. The result of the single-material construction and the curve of the glass produces an effect of suspension and disorientation. “Ragno” paved the way, over time, for a multitude of copies and citations.

Monolithic dining table in transparent or extralight 15 mm-thick curved glass.

dimensions: l. 188 x w. 98 x h. 75 cm; l. 228 x w. 108 x h. 75 cm

2. Norman Foster, “Nomos” system, 1986

On its launch, “Nomos” provoked a kind of revolution. The central backbone from which the legs and feet branch off evoked a large spider, while the transparency of the top was a break from the principles of office furniture by lending visibility to legs. Soon, architects began to also use it in domestic settings.

A system of tables and desks with tubular metal structures, tops in back-painted clear and ultra-clear tempered glass, or high-pressure laminate or wood essence. The office versions can be fitted with superstructures and screens, and a plastic vertebra secured to the frame provides orderly access for cables from the floor.

dimensions: various lengths and widths are available, including l. 80-120-160 x w. 60-80-100-120-160 cm

2. Elliott Littman, “Lybra” table, Driade, 1992

A sculptor-writer who moved into design, Littmann even managed to “lighten” a steel support beam, allowing this very big table to appear as light as an insect’s wing.

Silver grey painted steel structure, 12 mm tempered glass top.

dimensions: l. 270/324 x w. 120/144 x h. 72 cm

2. Achille Castiglioni, “95” table, è De Padova, 1995

Achille Castiglioni was, in a certain sense, an “illusionist” designer, and with this project, he put his powers to the test by making the top “float”. In reality, it is supported by slender hidden brackets between the wooden legs and the marble top (the most critical design point for this type of table) which create this magical suspended effect.

Legs in aniline-dyed charcoal-coloured solid ash wood. Steel frame and brackets made of gravity cast aluminium matt black epoxy-polyester powder coated. Top in Calacatta Oro marble, Valentine Grey, Greystone marble, Gris du Marais or Pietra d’Avola stone with edge finished by helical moulding, or in wood particle board panel, veneered in smoked oak.

dimensions: rectangular l. 220-280 x w. 100 x h. 71.5 cm;

                     square 140 x 140 x h. 71.5; 180 x 180 x h. 71.5 cm

                     round diameter 140-180 x h. 71.5 cm

2. Jean Nouvel, “Less” table, 1994, Unifor, later “LessLess”, Molteni

Originally designed for the offices of the Cartier Foundation in Paris, the “Less” table became a symbol of minimalist design. Despite being made of metal (originally steel and then aluminium) it achieves a high level of de-materialisation and “transparency”. Jean Nouvel wanted people to ask: “Comment c’est fait? Comment ça tient?”, and this was in fact regularly the case.

A collection of rectangular or square tables made entirely in aluminium and painted in various colours. It is characterised by a very slim top (the rigidity of the top is obtained by bending the sheet metal along inclined planes).

dimensions: l. 190 x w. 90 x h. 72 cm; l. 160 x w. 80 x h. 72 cm; l. 230 x w. 100 x h. 72 cm; l. 140 x w. 140 x h. 72 cm; l. 100 x w. 100 x h. 72 cm

2. Bruno Fattorini, Robin Rizzini, “Robin” table, MDF Italia, 2012

Can cement fly? This seems to be the question posed by the “Robin” table. The thinness of the legs and the top are in fact in stark contrast with the overall size of the table and with the surfaces in cement. A strange effect which immediately became a “classic”.

The 30 mm-thick table top consists of a composite panel with inner steel frame and a resin honeycomb core coated on both sides with aluminium foil. The panel is high pressure laminate coated with cement. The legs are made of 30 mm diameter steel tubes with structural ties, with a surface coating of cement.

dimensions: rectangular and square tables available in various sizes. l. 160-180-200-240 x w. 90 x h. 73 cm; l. 100-220-240-260-280-300 x w. 100 x h. 73 cm; l. 120-260-280-300 x w. 120 x h. 73 cm; l. 140 x w. 140 x h. 73 cm

2. Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby, “Tobi-Ishi” table, B&B Italia, 2012

In the great diatribe between essential and sculptural tables, “Tobi-Ishi” clearly falls into the second category. Monolithic and material, the design is influenced by the large solitary stones which characterise Japanese gardens.

Top in MDF wood fibre panel, legs in high density polyurethane resin, finished in cement grout or painted (glossy or matt). Later also produced in Carrara white marble or Marquiña black marble and, since 2017, in cement for outdoor use.

dimensions: l. 240 x w. 114 cm x h. 73.5 cm

2. Tokujin Yoshioka, “Element” collection, Desalto, 2013

A challenge to the laws of gravity, the “Element” table moves away from the standard perpendicular relationship between the frame and the top, creating a play of unstable balance. The design, of clear complexity from an engineering point of view, expresses, on the contrary, the simplicity of a Japanese ideogram.

A collapsible table with a steel structure, top in metal or MDF, with lacquer or handicraft finishes.

dimensions: with round top: diameter 140-160 x h. 72 cm; with rectangular top and single support l. 200-240 x w .99 x h. 72 cm; rectangular top with two supports l. 300 x w. 99 x h. 72 cm; square l. 148 x w. 148 x h. 72 cm

The table is the latest important category of furniture to be defined. While evidence shows that the chair was already recognised by the ancient Egyptians, the table still did not “exist” in the 18th century, and even grand royal banquets were set up on improvised tops and support structures placed in the centre of ballrooms and covered with long tablecloths.

The table, as we now know it, originates from desks or more modest items, such as ironing boards, work tables (in particular those of upholsterers) or tables in farmhouse kitchens.

Gallery: 20 of the best lights

Now the wide range available to those choosing a table, beyond the choice of the shape of the top – from the more convivial round to the square, which significantly influences the shape of the room, to the classic rectangular – consists in two opposing options: “sculptural” tables or “minimal” tables.

The first stands out for its design, particularly in terms of the base, and for the dominant materials and/or colours.  Obviously, this type of table needs to be matched with very simple and austere chairs. The second, instead, is more functional, tending towards a light and “two-dimensional” design, and therefore can be combined with chairs with more elaborate fabric upholstery.

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