The evidence of another person passing through a room, clumsily upturning the corner of a rug, shifts from a temporary annoyance into a permanent feature with this clever piece of furniture. Stumble Upon by Alessandro Isola is a rug with a built-in coffee table consisting of its own curving edge, hardened to provide a stable surface.

A reflective underside makes the corner stand out, providing a sharp contrast between the rug and its own underlay, one side richly textural and the other perfectly smooth.

This part of the rug, usually not meant to be seen, becomes even more of a visual highlight than its soft surface, adding a functional place to set books or drinks while seated on the floor.

Says the designer, “If you look down you may see a crease, a fold or a wrinkle in the carpet for instance. Signifying a movement or activity that happened on the surface of that very floor space.”

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“Taking inspiration from the creases and folds of carpets that one can stumble upon, usually causing slight annoyance, this coffee table enhances those folds and curves creating an aesthetic and functional effect. The project captures an ephemeral, accidental and everyday movement and freezes it in time, giving to it a new, extra dimension – that of a coffee table. The fold of the corner edge is exaggerated to produce a dual surface; a handmade rug on the top, and an underlying perfectly smooth, flat surface. Usually the back of a rug is not as attractive and the project here provides for an alternative twist.”

“From a stumble on a rug, an annoying accident, becomes the inspiration for an everyday object: the Stumble Upon Coffee Table.”

About the designer:

“Alessandro Isola studio is a multidisciplinary design practice based in London that specialises in architecture, interiors, and product design. The studio was founded in 2014 by Alessandro Isola. Alessandro’s formal training began at home in Italy, where he studied Art and Interior Architecture in Milan. He then headed to England and graduated in Architecture at the Oxford Brookes University School of Architecture, where he was granted a distinction and awarded the coveted Michael King memorial prize.”

“He then concluded his studies at the prestigious Architectural Association in London and worked for Foster + Partners where he also gained his RIBA/ARB professional chartered qualification. He then co-founded IM Lab and subsequently started his practice in 2014.”

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