Kartell

Profile

In 1949 Giulio Castelli made a commitment to “bring plastic into the home,” and Kartell has been aiming its unabashedly European sensibility at domestic necessities like chairs, tables, and shelving ever since. Virtually everything in the store is made from synthetic polymer in a variety of durable forms—from transparent, single-mold Louis XVI Ghost chairs by Philippe Starck to batch-dyed polyethylene sofas. With items like minimalist hat racks, curvy, lighthearted Maui chairs, and coiling Bookworm shelving, it’s apparent that aesthetics and humor go hand-in-hand at Kartell. Though the durable furniture here may be suitable for indoor/outdoor use, the hard-plastic armchairs may not appeal to couch potatoes. To that end, Kartell also carries some padded chairs and floor cushions, but for the most part, the store can be captured in just one word: plastics. — Stephen Bracco