It Looked Ordinary… Until You Noticed the Handle

It seems impossible, yet it works flawlessly.

I first spotted it in a cozy, cabin-like living room—wood-paneled walls, amber lighting, and the faint scent of old books. Amid all that warmth stood a curious little table that immediately stole my attention.

Round top. Three slim legs. And a single vertical “handle” jutting upward, like a bird craning its neck toward the ceiling.

“What is that?” I asked, half in awe.

The answer: The Franco Albini Cicognino side table, designed in 1954. And ever since that day, I haven’t stopped thinking about it.

Cicognino: The Little Stork
In Italian, Cicognino means “little stork.” The whimsical handle is its defining feature—Albini designed it as both a visual nod to the bird’s elegant posture and a functional detail. You can literally lift and move the table with one hand.

It’s playful, practical, and brilliantly simple—furniture that doesn’t just sit still, but seems to live in the space around it.

Read Part 2