Masterful Italian Design Now Available To The Masses

If you’ve ever wanted your apartment to look like the set of a Fellini film, the MoMA Design Store has you covered. On May 1, the Design Store is launching a collection of 32 fun and feisty tabletop pieces by some of Italy’s design greats, encompassing everything from reissued design masterpieces to more contemporary works by the current torchbearers of the Italian design world.

Curated by design impresario George M. Beylerian, the new collection focuses on the ritual of eating, as passed through the minds of Italy’s best design talent. There are far too many items in the collection to fully detail, but here are a few of our favorites:

• The Squared Circle Bowl by Ettore Sottsass was originally designed in 1958, after Sottsass came to New York to work for American designer George Nelson. The Italian designer was struck by the wild-to-his-eyes shapes and colors of U.S. traffic lamps.

• The Forcola Candle by John Mascheroni takes its shape and its name from the oar lock of a Venetian gondola, which is different from other oar locks because, unlike most rowers, Gondoliers face forward as they row.

• The Ping Pong Cocktail Trays by Mico Magistretti. These charming white trays made out of melamine are inspired by the ergonomics of the ping-pong paddle.

• Andrea Branzi’s Profile Vase “straddles the dimensions,” according to Beylerian. It’s a whimsical design that is equal part drawing and sculpture.

There are many more objects in the collection, so check them out in the slide show above. They are also surprisingly affordable, ranging from $10 to $100, so if you ever wanted to jump start a molto Italiano designer kitchen, the Design Store’s new collection is a good place to start. All items are now available on Momastore.org.