Milan 2011: VicoloPagliaCorta

Wednesday 13 April 2011

Tucked away in a courtyard in one of the main off-fair districts, Zona Tortona, is a small designmart made up of designer-makers selling direct to the public. Of the various brands on show, WGSN-homebuildlife's favourite was Vicolo Paglia Corta, a Bologna-based design duo formed in 2008 whose colourful and customizable Mattoncino tables caught our eye.

The surfaces are inlaid with Lego bricks, allowing you to create a shape or pattern - and providing you with a fun alternative to traditional mosaic or tiling effects.

Available in 5 different heights and sizes, the self-produced range is made from cherry wood and then treated with natural wax. The company describe the overall effect as "coloured plastic mosaics, like threads of non-weaved carpets". Also available in the collection are Scrabble-tile versions spelling out a choice of literary quotes, and a full range of jewellery.