Pillars of magic: the making of Note and Antique Mirror’s pastry tables

When you pair experts in Scandinavian minimalism with Italian embellishment, the results can be hard to picture. Yet this was a match made in heaven at Hotel Wallpaper* during this year's Handmade expo, as Swedish design studio Note’s graphic flair was accompanied by the exquisite finishes of Antique Mirror to create a triple treat of tables.
Initially inspired by vintage pastry stands, the studio whipped up contemporary versions in the shape of smart glass models. The concept derived from the idea of one side table, and developed into the three structures that can be stands, tables or pillars. ‘We started working with grand yet simple shapes,’ Charlotte Ackemar, product designer at Note explains, ‘and later landed on working with cylinders.’ The geometric pieces are made in different sizes, all dynamically carved from sheets of glass as the first layer of the silhouette.
Adding lavishness are Tuscany-based Antique Mirror's mesmerising surfaces. Taking 30 years of experience in treating glass in multiple ways, the company created majestic patterns on the tops and inner legs of the pastry tables. Through processes of oxidisation and silvering, they produce a range of iridescent and mosaic-style patterns, all of which were initially discovered by chance, making each finish different. This unique approach allows each of the three project pieces – the oxidised ‘Meteora’; a mosaic ‘Vulcano’; and the silvered ‘Policromo’ – to stand as ornamental sculptures as well as tables.
The finishing touch? A final layer of polished brass, embellishing the reflective material and structured glass, and giving our afternoon treats a grander entrance.
Note and Antique Mirror's pastry stands originally appeared in the August 2016 edition of Wallpaper* (W*209)
See more from Handmade here and check in to Hotel Wallpaper*…
‘We started working with grand yet simple shapes,’ Charlotte Ackemar, product designer at Note explains, ‘and later landed on working with cylinders’
The geometric pieces are made in different sizes, all dynamically carved from sheets of glass as the first layer of the silhouette
This unique approach allows each of the three project pieces– the oxidised ‘Meteora’; a mosaic ‘Vulcano’; and the silvered ‘Policromo’ – to stand as ornamental sculptures as well as tables
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Note Design Studio website or Antique Mirror’s website
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Sujata Burman is a writer and editor based in London, specialising in design and culture. She was Digital Design Editor at Wallpaper* before moving to her current role of Head of Content at London Design Festival and London Design Biennale where she is expanding the content offering of the showcases. Over the past decade, Sujata has written for global design and culture publications, and has been a speaker, moderator and judge for institutions and brands including RIBA, D&AD, Design Museum and Design Miami/. In 2019, she co-authored her first book, An Opinionated Guide to London Architecture, published by Hoxton Mini Press, which was driven by her aim to make the fields of design and architecture accessible to wider audiences.
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