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Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Italian

The Italian design giant Kartell transformed plastic from the stuff of humble household goods into a staple of luxury design in the 1960s. Founded in Milan by Italian chemical engineer Giulio Castelli (1920–2006) and his wife Anna Ferrieri (1918–2006), Kartell began as an industrial design firm, producing useful items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa were making Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters were relatively costly, and Castelli and Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods.

They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures and kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Consumers in the postwar era were initially skeptical of plastic goods, but their affordability and infinite range of styles and hues eventually won devotees. Tupperware parties in the United States made plastic storage containers ubiquitous in postwar homes, and Kartell’s ingenious designs for juicers, dustpans, and dish racks conquered Europe. Kartell designer Gino Colombini was responsible for many of these early products, and his design for the KS 1146 Bucket won the Compasso d’Oro prize in 1955.

Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. Designers Marco Zanuso and Richard Sapper created the K1340 (later called the K 4999) children’s chair that year, and families enjoyed their bright colors and light weight, which made them easy for kids to pick up and move. In 1965, Joe Colombo (1924–78) created one of Kartell’s few pieces of non-plastic furniture, the 4801 chair, which sits low to the ground and comprised of just three curved pieces of plywood. (In 2012, Kartell reissued the chair in plastic.) Colombo followed up on the success of the 4801 with the iconic 4867 Universal Chair in 1967, which, like Verner Panton’s S chair, is made from a single piece of plastic. The colorful, stackable injection-molded chair was an instant classic. That same year, Kartell introduced Colombo’s KD27 table lamp. Ferrierei’s cylindrical 4966 Componibili storage module debuted in 1969.

Kartell achieved international recognition for its innovative work in 1972, when a landmark exhibition curated by Emilio Ambasz called “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” opened at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. That show introduced American audiences to the work of designers such as Gaetano Pesce; Ettore Sottsass, founder of the Memphis Group; and the firms Archizoom and Superstudio (both firms were among Italy's Radical design groups) — all of whom were using wit, humor and unorthodox materials to create a bracingly original interior aesthetic.

Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, in 1988, and since then, Luti has expanded the company’s roster of designers.

Kartell produced Ron Arad’s Bookworm wall shelf in 1994, and Philippe Starck’s La Marie chair in 1998. More recently, Kartell has collaborated with the Japanese collective Nendo, Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola and glass designer Tokujin Yoshioka, among many others. Kartell classics can be found in museums around the world, including MoMA, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. In 1999, Claudio Luti established the Museo Kartell to tell the company’s story, through key objects from its innovative and colorful history.

Find vintage Kartell tables, seating, table lamps and other furniture on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Kartell
Italian modern white plastic coffee tables by Giotto Stoppino for Kartell, 1970s
By Kartell, Giotto Stoppino
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern white plastic coffee tables by Giotto Stoppino for Kartell, 1970s Pair of coffee tables mod. 4905 round stackables. The struc...
Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Plastic

Italian modern green plastic coffee table 4979 Anna Castelli for Kartell, 1970s
By Kartell, Anna Castelli Ferrieri
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern green plastic coffee table 4979 Anna Castelli for Kartell, 1970s Coffee table or bedside table mod. 4979 in green plastic with a square base, with rounded corners. The...
Category

1970s Italian Modern Vintage Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Blast Square Coffee Table in Chrome with Pink Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Dr. Na Table in Light Orange by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Dr. NO chair is combined with a round table, Dr. NA, available as a direct complement to the seat. The scratch-proof painted surface and tapered central leg made of plastic and a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Gae Aulenti for Kartell 4894 Coffee Table 1970s
By Gae Aulenti, Kartell
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
A low, square coffee table with smooth, rounded edges, creating a sense of minimalism and modernity. Its monolithic appearance is accentuated by the clean lines and uniform surface. ...
Category

1970s Italian Space Age Vintage Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Blast Rectangle Table in Chrome with Green Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table rectangular with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Four Table Soft Touch in Black/ Aluminum by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This functional and refined table also has a strict geometric design. Thanks to the elegant design solution, the position of the slim table top allows for the convenient positioning ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Blast Rectangle Table in Chrome with Smoke Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table rectangular with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Invisible Low Rectangular Table in Crystal by Tokujin Yoshioka
By Kartell, Tokujin Yoshioka
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Invisible table designed by Tokujin Yoshioka combines lightness and solidity, grace and elegance and practicality and style. Its simplicity and purity ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Outdoor Four Table in White by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Four table in outdoor in 74.75L x 31W x 28H in white. Dimensions: Height 28.38 in.; Width 74.75 in.; Depth 31.13 in.; Unit weight 49.4 kg. Made of: Painted galvanized steel. Outdo...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Blast Square Coffee Table in Chrome with Bronze Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Blast Square Coffee Table in Chrome with Green Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Blast Rectangle Table in Chrome with Pink Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s blast, a coffee table rectangular with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Plastic

Kartell Blast Rectangle Table in Chrome with Yellow Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table rectangular with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Four Table Soft Touch in Black/Black by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This functional and refined table also has a strict geometric design. Thanks to the elegant design solution, the position of the slim table top allows for ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Blast Square Coffee Table in Chrome with Yellow Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Blast Square Coffee Table in Chrome with Smoke Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Small Four Table in White by Ferruccio Laviani
By Ferruccio Laviani, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This functional and refined table also has a strict geometric design. Thanks to the elegant design solution, the position of the slim table top allows for the convenient positioning ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Italian Modern Steel White Plastic Trays Coffee Table Piero Lissoni Kartell 1990
By Kartell
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian modern steel and white plastic Trays coffee table by Piero Lissoni for Kartell, 1990s. Tray model coffee table with square shape, chromed steel ro...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Dr. Na Table in Wax White by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Dr. NO chair is combined with a round table, Dr. NA, available as a direct complement to the seat. The scratch-proof painted surface and tapered central leg made of plastic and a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Four Table Soft Touch in White by Ferruccio Laviani
By Ferruccio Laviani, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This functional and refined table also has a strict geometric design. Thanks to the elegant design solution, the position of the slim table top allows for the convenient positioning of drawers or storage furnishings for computer hardware. They can be placed side-by-side to form office workstations. Four is available with a painted steel body and a 2.5 cm thick table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Four Table Soft Touch in White/ Aluminum by Ferruccio Laviani
By Ferruccio Laviani, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This functional and refined table also has a strict geometric design. Thanks to the elegant design solution, the position of the slim table top allows for the convenient positioning of drawers or storage furnishings for computer hardware. They can be placed side-by-side to form office workstations. Four is available with a painted steel body and a 2.5 cm thick table top...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Four Table in Black/ Aluminum by Ferruccio Laviani
By Ferruccio Laviani, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This functional and refined table also has a strict geometric design. Thanks to the elegant design solution, the position of the slim table top allows for ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Four Table Soft Touch in Black/White by Ferruccio Laviani
By Ferruccio Laviani, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This functional and refined table also has a strict geometric design. Thanks to the elegant design solution, the position of the slim table top allows for ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Sir Gio Square Coffee Table with Smoke Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Dr. Na Table in Warm Grey by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Dr. NO chair is combined with a round table, Dr. NA, available as a direct complement to the seat. The scratch-proof painted surface and tapered central leg made of plastic and a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Blast Rectangle Table in Chrome with Yellow Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table rectangular with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Dr. Na Table in Fennel Green by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
The Dr. NO chair is combined with a round table, Dr. NA, available as a direct complement to the seat. The scratch-proof painted surface and tapered central leg made of plastic and a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Kartell Sir Gio Round Coffee Table with Yellow Top by Philippe Starck
By Philippe Starck, Kartell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Sir Gio Square Coffee Table with Bronze Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Sir Gio Square Coffee Table with Pink Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Four Table in Black / Aluminum by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This functional and refined table also has a strict geometric design. Thanks to the elegant design solution, the position of the slim table top allows for the convenient positioning of drawers or storage furnishings for computer hardware. They can be placed side-by-side to form office workstations. Four is available with a painted steel body and a 2.5 cm thick table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Sir Gio Square Coffee Table with Green Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Four Table by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This functional and refined table also has a strict geometric design. Thanks to the elegant design solution, the position of the slim table top allows for ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Sir Gio Round Coffee Table with Smoke Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Four Table Soft Touch in White / Black by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This functional and refined table also has a strict geometric design. Thanks to the elegant design solution, the position of the slim table top allows for the convenient positioning of drawers or storage furnishings for computer hardware. They can be placed side-by-side to form office workstations. Four is available with a painted steel body and a 2.5 cm thick table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Four Table in White/Aluminum by Ferruccio Laviani
By Kartell, Ferruccio Laviani
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This functional and refined table also has a strict geometric design. Thanks to the elegant design solution, the position of the slim table top allows for the convenient positioning of drawers or storage furnishings for computer hardware. They can be placed side-by-side to form office workstations. Four is available with a painted steel body and a 2.5 cm thick table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

Kartell Sir Gio Round Coffee Table with Green Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Blast Rectangle Table in Chrome with Bronze Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table rectangular with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio table...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Sir Gio Round Coffee Table with Pink Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Sir Gio Round Coffee Table with Bronze Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell Sir Gio Square Coffee Table with Yellow Top by Philippe Starck
By Kartell, Philippe Starck
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Kartell lifestyle enhances the living room with Philippe Starck’s Blast, a coffee table square with rounded corners and clear bases and tops. The design is a development of the Sir Gio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass

Kartell coffee and cocktail tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Kartell coffee and cocktail tables are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of glass and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Kartell coffee and cocktail tables, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 2 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 41 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original coffee and cocktail tables by Kartell were created in the modern style in italy during the 21st century and contemporary. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider coffee and cocktail tables by Driade, Matteo Zorzenoni, and Glas Italia. Prices for Kartell coffee and cocktail tables can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $460 and can go as high as $3,140, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $2,065.
Questions About Kartell Coffee and Cocktail Tables
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Kartell is known largely for producing contemporary furniture out of plastic. The Italian company, founded in 1949, helped elevate the material, proving that it was suitable for designer furniture. You can find a collection of Kartell furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 29, 2024
    The country that Kartell is from is Italy. Founded in Milan by Italian chemical engineer Giulio Castelli and his wife Anna Ferrieri, Kartell began as an industrial design firm, producing useful items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures and kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Then, buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. On 1stDibs, shop a large selection of Kartel furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 21, 2024
    The history of Kartell starts with an Italian chemical engineer named Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri. The couple founded Kartell in Milan as an industrial design firm, producing utilitarian items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa were making Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters were relatively costly, and Castelli and Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods. They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures and kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. Kartell achieved international recognition for its innovative work in 1972, when a landmark exhibition curated by Emilio Ambasz called "Italy: The New Domestic Landscape" opened at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, in 1988, and since then, Luti has expanded the company's roster of designers. On 1stDibs, explore a large selection of Kartell furniture.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024
    The founders of Kartell are Italian chemical engineer Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri. Kartell began as an industrial design firm, producing useful items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa made Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters were relatively costly. Castelli and Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods. They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures, kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, in 1988, and since then, Luti has expanded the company’s roster of designers. Shop a collection of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024
    Kartell is made in Italy. The company has had its headquarters and factory in Noviglio, Lombardy, since 1967. The company was initially founded in Milan by Italian chemical engineer Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri. It began as an industrial design firm, producing useful items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Shop a wide variety of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 25, 2024
    How you clean Kartell plastic depends on the piece. Often, the best way to clean plastic furniture is with lukewarm water and mild dish soap. However, recommended cleaning methods vary. For the best results, refer to the manufacturer's care instructions that accompany your furniture. Shop a collection of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 9, 2024
    Yes, Kartell is an Italian brand. Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri, founded the company in Milan in 1949. Originally, Kartell was an industrial design firm, producing items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. It first introduced its housewares division in 1953. Find a large selection of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertSeptember 9, 2024
    Yes, the Kartell Componibili is stackable. In fact, a big part of the appeal of the furniture collection is the fact that you can stack it up to create the ideal storage solution for your needs. Kartell first unveiled the Componibili line in 1967, and it remains popular today. Find a collection of Kartell Componibili furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024
    To tell a real Kartell, look for the maker's markings. Nearly all authentic pieces will feature an embossed mark that indicates the Kartell name, the product name and the designer name. If your piece lacks any of these three marks or the marking is printed in ink on the piece or on a paper label, it may be a replica. You can also research identifying characteristics for your particular type of furniture and use these to evaluate your item. Alternatively, you can seek the opinion of a certified appraiser or knowledgeable dealer. Find a variety of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024
    The history of Kartell furniture begins with Italian chemical engineer Giulio Castelli and his wife, Anna Ferrieri. They founded the company in 1949 as an industrial design firm, producing items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. They launched a housewares division of Kartell in 1953, making lighting fixtures, kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. The affordability and infinite range of styles and hues won devotees of Kartell’s ingenious designs for juicers, dustpans and dish racks. Kartell designer Gino Colombini was responsible for many of these early products, including the KS 1146 Bucket, which won the Compasso d’Oro prize in 1955. Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. In 1972, Kartell achieved international recognition for its innovative work when a landmark exhibition curated by Emilio Ambasz called “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” opened at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. In 1988, Castelli and Ferrieri sold Kartell to Claudio Luti, their son-in-law, who has expanded the company’s roster of designers. Shop a collection of Kartell furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024
    Kartell chairs are made in Italy. Since 1967, the Italian furniture maker has produced pieces at its own factory in Noviglio, Lombardy. During the 1960s, Kartell transformed plastic from the stuff of humble household goods into a staple of luxury design, and plastic remains one of its best-known materials to this day. In fact, it is the material for some of its most iconic chairs, including the Ghost chair, designed by Philippe Starck, and the S chair, created by Verner Panton. On 1stDibs, find a large collection of Kartell chairs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 15, 2024
    Yes, many online reviewers state that the Kartell Masters chair is comfortable. Fans of the chair designed by Philippe Starck with Eugeni Quitllet frequently say that the unique shape of its back and its gently sloped seat together provide optimal support. However, whether or not any chair is comfortable is a matter of personal preference. Find an assortment of Kartell Masters chairs on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Kartell Louis Ghost chairs are made of lucite. Designed by Phillipe Starck for Kartell in 2002, this clear chair is crafted from a single piece of plastic, making it a beautifully elegant piece. On 1stDibs, find a range of authentic Kartell Ghost chairs from top sellers.
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 20, 2024
    The dimensions of the Kartell Invisible table vary by style. The high rectangular table measures around 15.75 inches in height by 15.75 inches in depth by 47 inches in length, while the low rectangle version is 12.4 inches high by 15.75 inches deep by 47 inches long. There is also a 39-inch by 39-inch square Invisible table available in 28- and 12.4-inch heights. On 1stDibs, explore a selection of Kartell Invisible tables.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024
    How big the Kartell Four table is varies. The rectangular dining table is actually available in four sizes. Its smallest version measures 62.5 inches in width by 31 inches in depth, and the largest is 87.5 inches long by 32 inches deep. Kartell also offers a 74.75-inch long option in two depths: 31 inches and 35.5 inches. All four size options are 28.25 inches tall. Shop a selection of Kartell dining tables on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertAugust 29, 2024
    Philippe Starck designed the Louis Ghost chair for Kartell in 2002. The chair is a postmodern take on the classic Louis XVI armchair, a style that emerged under the fraught reign of French King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. This style represented the birth of neoclassicism in France and was characterized by a relative restraint compared to the Rococo flourishes of previous eras. The second half of the chair’s name refers to its materiality. It wasn’t Starck’s first plastic chair for Kartell, but it was the first time it could use a single polycarbonate plastic mold in the process, creating a structure completely free of joints. Formally, Starck distilled the geometry of his antique reference to its main elements: the oval-shaped backrest, curved armrests and straight legs. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of Philippe Starck Louis Ghost chairs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024
    Kartell started making plastic objects shortly after its founding in 1949. The company began as an industrial design firm, producing useful items like ski racks for automobiles and laboratory equipment designed to replace breakable glass with sturdy plastic. Even as companies like Olivetti and Vespa made Italian design popular in the 1950s, typewriters and scooters remained relatively costly. Kartell founders Giulio Castelli and Anna Ferrieri wanted to provide Italian consumers with affordable, stylish goods. They launched a housewares division in 1953, making lighting fixtures, kitchen tools and accessories from colorful molded plastic. Buoyed by its success in the home goods market, Kartell introduced its Habitat division in 1963. On 1stDibs, shop a wide range of Kartell furniture.

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