The Funky Table project was born from an all-female team and the design and fashion experience of sisters Mariangela and Titti Negroni. Their research and inspirations are based on: "mixing, finding perfection in what is deliberately imperfect, emphasising the uniqueness of each object." 

The decorative language of Funky Table, a brand that since 2015 has been conveying the designers’ passion and vision of the world, speaks of style and genius loci as the common link between the home and tableware objects and collections and everything else on that topic. Here’s a conversation with co-founder Mariangela Negroni

Trends, styles and materials for outdoor tableware

Summer is the wish to get together and celebrate joyfully. "For the summer tables, we offer an explosion of colours, for a sharing that expresses celebration and joy." Thus, make way to to nature: shapes of flowers and leaves, and vivid colors. "The natural element is powerful and bold, such as Sabre's cutlery with a resin handle that reminds of a horn."

Summer 2021 sees an explosion of fruit shapes - Tomato, Apple and Lemon-shaped pitchers - and references to wildlife, such as for example the Fish pitcher and the Crocodile one.

The story continues with colorful spots, self-produced by Funky Table, on both textiles and coloured tin. "It is something that Southern Italy has been conveying for some time now, but in brighter colours."

"On the subject of the outdoors," Mariangela Negroni continues, "we are working to research compost: no more plastic. We are also resuming the use of the cloth napkins that had almost completely disappeared, so as not to use paper." A sort of "going back to the grandmothers" with cloth napkins, crochet, and silverware (Funky Table makes nickel silver cutlery that can be personalised).

Beyond the seasonality of the great outdoors, another trend highlighted by Negroni is that of Girl Power to give emphasis to women and friendships. To represent this: the new breast-shaped boxes and the hand-shaped vases.

Paths and trends

"A trend is something instinctive, the narrative of a journey and it is hard to tell. I don't rely on theories," explains Mariangela Negroni, emphasizing how strong and numerous the offer and external stimuli are. "Flower-decorated dishes?” She says, for example. “I don't know why but I know it's time to bring them back and I have to tell that story!"

"Today we get proposals from outside much more than before and stories are built based on themes. We proceed like a fashion company that influences home decor. We deal with objects that must last over time. Something that always tells a story, a content, an actual story telling process that speaks of the various districts." This is the case of the pitchers and flower bowls originating from one of the oldest companies in the ceramic district of Nove and Bassano del Grappa.

"Research never stops and inspirations come from everywhere: from social media, but also from cinema (at least a movie a week!)." An important pool of information also comes from the projects we develop with other partners. Among the most recent ones there is a collaboration with Le Bon Marché in Paris and their buyers, or the La Tavola Scomposta collection created in co-branding with Bitossi Home. "This is information that feeds us self," Mariangela says, emphasizing the importance of input from different directions. In fact, Funky Table is also present in prestigious stores such as La Rinascente in Milan and Rome Tritone.

Kintsugi

Discovered by Funky Table in the Netherlands 5 years ago and since then a best seller, Kintsugi is about putting broken things back together to give them new value and rebirth. Over the years, there have been meetings on the subject and even an event together with a jewellery brand. "It's therapeutic. Something very beautiful and special happens every time," Mariangela says now that the meetings are no longer held. "Through the e-shop it is experiencing exponential growth. We don't have the logistics to cope with the demand but we are getting organised," she explains about the Kintsugi kits, to be complemented with Seletti products.