Of his mid-century modern furniture designs, which marry minimalist simplicity with elegance and symmetry, Italian designer Giovanni Offredi once said: “Beauty should not be confused with appearance, since the latter is the superficial part of the form.”
Born in Milan, in 1927, Offredi did not pursue formal education as an architect, unlike many of his contemporaries in the first half of the 20th century. He also did not begin designing furniture until later in his career. His earliest known furnishings were commissioned by wealthy Milanese families in 1960.
It wasn’t until the late 1960s — when Offredi met Sergio Saporiti, owner of Italian furniture manufacturer and design shop Saporiti — that his furniture designs would become more prominent. In 1970, Offredi entered into a partnership with Saporiti, producing several innovative and modernistic furniture lines.
Among Offredi’s most notable pieces are the gently curving Wave chair, sofa and lounge chair, the Onda coffee table and the Paracarro dining room table, with its cylindrical concrete base, glass top and metal cross section. He also designed a series of credenzas and sideboards in lacquered wood, featuring a high gloss finish and bold colors.
Offredi enjoyed a successful collaboration with Saporiti throughout the 1970s. In 1984, he began a partnership with Italian cabinet and kitchen manufacturer Snaidero, designing modern kitchens. His final kitchen design, Kube, in 2006, featured streamlined forms, contrasting materials and colors and a recessed aluminum toe kick with a reflective mirror finish, which made the kitchen appear suspended above the ground. The kitchen won a Good Design Award from the Chicago Design Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, in 2008. Offredi never had the opportunity to accept that prize — he died in 2007.
Although Offredi’s works are relatively obscure, they are sought out by in-the-know furniture collectors and enthusiasts worldwide.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Giovanni Offredi chairs, tables, case pieces and storage cabinets.
Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti 'Paracarro' Dining Table in Glass and Mosaic
By Giovanni Offredi, Saporiti
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti, 'Paracarro' dining table, glass, concrete, chrome-plated steel, mosaic, Italy, 1970 This sculptural dining table is designed by Giovanni Offredi for S...
Concrete, Steel, Chrome
Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Dining Table in Birdseye Maple
By Saporiti, Giovanni Offredi
Located in Chicago, IL
Giovanni Offredi for saporiti dining table in birdseye maple, with marquetry abstract designs on the surface.
Wood, Birdseye Maple
Vintage 1970s Giovanni Offredi For Saporiti Italia Concrete And Glass Dining Tab
By Giovanni Offredi, Saporiti
Located in Palm Desert, CA
Authentic vintage 1970s dining table designed by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italia. This iconic Italian design features a sculptural, solid concrete base with metal supports and a...
Concrete, Steel
Tavolo in radica rossa di Giovanni Offredi per Saporiti Italia
By Saporiti, Giovanni Offredi
Located in Ghedi, IT
Tavolo Quadrato: Dimensioni 130 cm (lunghezza) x 130 cm (larghezza) x circa 73 cm (altezza, standard per tavoli da pranzo). La struttura è realizzata con un telaio robusto, probabilm...
Glass
Mid Century Modern Dining Table Center Table Stone Glass Giovanni Offredi Italy
By Giovanni Offredi
Located in Vienna, AT
Mid Century Modern vintage dining table Paracarro from stone by Giovanni Offredi 1973, Italy and executed by Saporiti. A minimalistic and sophisticated dining table from stone and ch...
Stone
$2,350Sale Price|47% Off
Customized 'Paracarro' Dining Table Base by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti 1970s
By Giovanni Offredi, Saporiti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This pair of 'Paracarro' dining table bases are by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italia which are sculpted from concrete and chromed steel with ceramic tiles in a mosaic form during ...
Concrete, Steel, Chrome
$3,950
H 28.88 in W 58.88 in D 35.38 in
Art Deco Dining Table in Macassar Ebony & Birdseye Maple, Circa 1940
Located in Detroit, MI
This beautiful antique Art Deco wooden dining room table is circa 1940. The table is exceptionally well-crafted from solid wood, birdseye maple veneer and a Macassar ebony veneer tab...
Glass, Wood, Birdseye Maple, Macassar
Triangular Base Dining Table by Pace
By Leon Rosen
Located in New York, NY
Minimalist dining table by Leon Rosen Pace. The triangular glass and polished chrome pedestal base supports a 1/2" thick 42" diameter glass top, which creates a simple and elegant l...
Chrome
Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Concrete Cantilever Coffee Table
By Giovanni Offredi, Saporiti
Located in Jensen Beach, FL
Rare coffee table designed in the late 1970s by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italia.
Concrete, Metal
$14,900
H 29.5 in Dm 50.5 in
20th Century Italian Modern Vintage Polished Rosewood Dining, Center Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A round, vintage Mid-Century modern Italian dining room table made of hand crafted polished Rosewood, in good condition. The small center table is co...
Rosewood
Italian Brass and Chrome Center or Dining Table
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant Italian Brass and Chrome Center or Dining Table, Italy, circa 1960s. The table base measures 27.5"H x 35.25"W.
Metal
$1,800
H 28.75 in Dm 40 in
Mid-Century Modern Milo Baughman Style Round Chrome & Glass Dining Center Table
By Milo Baughman
Located in Lambertville, NJ
1970s Mid-Century Modern chrome and glass dining or center table in the style of Milo Baughman. Sculptural polished chrome base features a flat bar octagon design. Existing round cle...
Chrome
1980 Large coffee table by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti
By Giovanni Offredi
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Large coffee table in speckled maple veneer. Comprising a large speckled maple veneer top with rounded edges. The base consists of four cylindrical semicircles, embellished at the b...
Wood
1970s Sculptural Chrome Dining Or Center Table
By Pace Furniture Company
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Modern sleek and sculptural chrome 1970s tubular dining or center table. This table is simply stunning. The photographs really capture its beauty. Curved chrome supports reflect and ...
Chrome
$7,600Sale Price|20% Off
H 30 in Dm 54 in
Custom Modern Round Porcelain Dining Table with Geometric Brass Base
By Carrocel
Located in North York, ON
Custom modern round porcelain dining table with geometric brass base. Custom designed by the artisans at Carrocel with imported Italian honed travertino porcelain top. Completed with...
Brass
Giovanni Offredi Onda Glass Coffee Table for Saporiti ca. 1970's
By Saporiti, Giovanni Offredi
Located in New York, NY
Classic Post Modern Italian design glass top coffee table designed by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti. This example is in good original condition, the metal base shows some oxidation, ...
Steel
Mid-Century Modern Italian Chrome Table with Round Glass Top from 1970s
Located in Prato, IT
Mid-Century Modern Italian chrome stainless steel dining or side table with round glass top.
Stainless Steel, Chrome
$4,320Sale Price|20% Off
H 14.75 in W 51 in D 51.25 in
Italian Adjustable Maple Coffee Table by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italia
By Saporiti, Giovanni Offredi
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Presenting an exceptional mid-century Italian coffee table, a true statement piece designed by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italia in the 1980s. This rare table artfully combines lu...
Granite, Steel, Chrome
Giovanni Offredi Round 'Paracarro' Dining Table for Saporiti
By Giovanni Offredi, Saporiti
Located in Waalwijk, NL
'Paracarro' dining table, in concrete, metal and glass by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti, Italy, circa 1973. Stunning round 'Paracarro' dining table. This table has a very modern a...
Concrete, Metal, Chrome
Giovanni Offredi "Paracarro" Dining Table for Saporiti
By Giovanni Offredi, Saporiti
Located in Waalwijk, NL
'Paracarro' table, in glass, metal and concrete, by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti, Italy, 1970s. Large stunning rectangular "Paracarro" dining table by Giovanni Offredi for Sapor...
Concrete, Chrome, Metal
Italian brutalist dining table by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italy
By Giovanni Offredi
Located in BE
Beautiful "brutalist" dining table by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti. This table was made in the late 70's. This particular table is model Paracarro. It features 1 heavy concrete ...
Concrete
Sold
H 28.35 in W 94.49 in D 51.19 in
Giovanni Offredi “Paracarro” dining table for Saporiti Italia, 1970s
By Saporiti, Giovanni Offredi
Located in Langemark-Poelkapelle, BE
A sculptural and highly collectible “Paracarro” dining table designed by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italia in the 1970s. This impressive piece features two monumental cast-concret...
Concrete, Chrome
Sold
H 29.5 in W 63.5 in D 39.5 in
Italian Birdseye Maple Dining Table by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti, 1980s
By Giovanni Offredi
Located in Chicago, IL
An expression of Postmodern Italian design, this dining table was crafted by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti in the 1980s. Its surface features a mesmerizing marquetry composition, whe...
Birdseye Maple, Lacquer
Paracarro table by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti - 1970s
By Giovanni Offredi
Located in Uccle, Bruxelles
Sculptural glass dining table on a concrete base named "Paracarro." This model was designed by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti in the 1970s. The round glass top rests on a recessed chr...
Concrete, Chrome
Midcentury Giovanni Offredi "Paracarro" Dining Table, Italy 1973
By Giovanni Offredi, Saporiti
Located in Roma, IT
Unique "Paracarro" model dining table designed by Giovanni Offredi and produced by Saporiti in Italy during 1973. Based on a prototype project, it has a peculiar dome-shaped concret...
Concrete, Steel, Chrome
Sold
H 27.75 in Dm 48 in
Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti 1970s Concrete, Chrome, and Glass Dining Table.
By Saporiti, Giovanni Offredi
Located in Palm Desert, CA
Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti: 1970s Concrete, Chrome, and Glass Dining Table. This round dining table features a heavy-cast concrete base with chrome X-bars and a glass top. Seats 4...
Concrete, Chrome
Giovanni Offredi "Paracarro" Dining Table for Saporiti, 1970s
By Saporiti, Giovanni Offredi
Located in Leuven, Vlaams Gewest
Concrete and chrome center or dining table designed by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italy model 'Paracarro'. The table has a solid concrete base with a large clear glass table top....
Concrete, Chrome
Rare Dining table by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italy
By Saporiti, Giovanni Offredi
Located in BE
Beautiful brutalist but elegant dining table by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti. This table was made in the late 70's. This particular table is model Paracarro. It features a heavy c...
Stone
Giovanni Offredi Square Dining Table
By Giovanni Offredi
Located in Shibuya-ku, 13
Giovanni Offredi was a prominent Italian furniture and product designer of the late 20th century, whose designs are characterised by their simplicity and elegance, but also by their ...
Wood
Dining Table by Giovanni Offredi for Saporiti Italia 1970s
By Giovanni Offredi, Saporiti
Located in Byron Bay, NSW
This awesome table with concrete legs and wooden top was designed by Giovanni Offredi per Saporiti in the 70s. By balancing perfectly the sculptural feeling of the concrete with the ...
Concrete