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Sometimes, the secret to standing out from the crowd is to challenge convention. German brand Belfakto has achieved this by rethinking the shape of the humble table leg. Straight lines are yesteryear, the company told id when we dropped by its stand at Imm Cologne earlier this year. The future? The elaborately interlocking legs of Yago and Chorum, both of which are inspired by the idea of movement.
There are plenty of other sources of inspiration for the table leg. For Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola, a cactus that grows in the mountainous regions of Mexico was the starting point for the base of Asterias, her new table for Molteni & C. For Frag, it was the legs of an artist’s easel, resulting in a family of tables called Atelier. Riva looked to the ancient art of origami to inspire Kikibio, which features a top made of solid walnut supported by steel sheet legs with visible folded welds that are bent like origami.
Bonaldo was more playful in its approach. There are no prizes for guessing what inspired its new Hulahoop table, which focuses on a frame made of metallic rings that overlap each other. This results in a graphic pattern that appears to change when viewed from a different angle.
Breaking with convention is something of a habit at Bonaldo, whose Mass table by Alain Gilles also challenges the traditional archetype. The inspiration for its base is two-fold: it recalls the crinolines worn by high-society women of the 19th Century and the wire-frames used by current-day architects and designers for their 3D designs.
A challenge to convention does not always mean creating something new. Many manufacturers are updating past designs to reshape the present. For example, Cassina turned to its extensive archives to find a design that appeals to today’s desire to be different.
It didn’t have to delve far: Piero Lissoni’s Boboli table of 2007 proved to be the perfect candidate. The original features twisted strips of metal that form the table’s base. The upgraded collection is extensive: think five sizes, three shapes, four base finishes and five top finishes, creating a total of 100 combinations. Alongside the existing chrome version, new base finishes include painted matt black, chromed dark gold and gunmetal aluminium. The bases can be matched with a variety of table tops, including two new wood finishes.