Spina Console C5.1 in Lac Burgundy by Portego

Italian design studio Cara e Davide is known internationally for its well-made tables, chairs and storage cabinets. The brand’s sculptural furnishings, which feature sleek curving forms and architectural columns that are attention-grabbing in any space, owe to ongoing research in regional materials, processes and experimentation with various techniques.

Cara e Davide comes from the names of the studio's founding designers, South African artist Cara Judd and Italian artist Davide Gramatica. They met while they were attending IED Milano, studying product design. 

After graduating in 2011, Judd and Gramatica began their professional design careers separately — they explored various areas that included apprenticeships at ateliers and workshops and working with both small studios as well as large-scale companies. Five years later, the two decided to merge their talents and established the Cara e Davide studio in Milan. That same year, they exhibited their first furniture collection at the Salone del Mobile, garnering acclaim among critics and private clients. The studio unveiled a second collection at the London Design Fair.

Cara e Davide specializes in designing contemporary furniture — they’ve created bold pieces by working with wood-based filament printing technologies, Rosso Levanto marble, aluminum and more. The studio’s offerings are frequently produced in collaboration with artisans from South Africa and Italy. The brand has partnered with a range of manufacturers, art spaces and retailers to create these works, including Rinascente, Medulum, Portego, Uniqka, Aybar Gallery and Galerie Philia. When Judd and Gramatica are not in their studio, they’re teaching product design at IED Milan.

On 1stDibs, discover a range of Cara e Davide tables, seating, case pieces and storage cabinets.

A relative newcomer to the world of Italian furniture, Portego creates contemporary designs by fostering and nurturing a close relationship between its designers and manufacturers. Its home city of Veneto, Italy, attracts many skilled workers and designers, including Chiara Andreatti, Serena Confalonieri, Ilaria Innocenti, Giorgio Laboratore, Alessandro Zambelli, Seraina Lareida and Nikolai Kotlarczyk. From small decorative objects like boxes and baskets, to wool rugs and lacquered side tables, Portego honors historic design with 21st-century style.

Product designer Flavia Testi and interior designer Stefano Rossi founded Portego in 2015 with a network of specialized individuals. Designers are selected not only for their expertise but also for their ability to be adaptable to working with different manufacturers. Portego encourages designers to collaborate closely with the craftspeople who produce the furniture.

Portego is modern in its design with a traditional approach. Alongside recruiting local craft experts, Portego inserts nods to design history. The Bronzino hooks, for example, designed by Alessandro Zambelli, are bronze storage hooks that conjure images of 1900s architecture and resemble brass trumpets. The Elemento and Scena wall mirrors designed by Nikolai Kotlarczyk draw inspiration from 16th-century architect Andrea Palladio and feature carved Murano glass with a polished silver finish.

Portego has exhibited worldwide, including at Milan Design Week, Paris Design Week, Operae in Turin, Italy, the London Design Fair, Design Shanghai and Biennale Interieur in Kortrijk, Belgium.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Portego rugs and carpets, tables, mirrors and more.