Domenico “Ico” Parisi was one half of a prolific postwar design duo he comprised with his wife, Luisa. Their furniture designs are known for running the stylistic gamut, with celebrated mid-century modern pieces ranging from elegantly skeletal — like dramatic ebonized dining chairs — to plush and shapely, like the iconic 1951 Egg chair, in a plethora of materials.
The son of an art teacher father, Ico Parisi was exposed to art at an early age. Born in 1916 in the Sicilian capital of Palermo, he and his family moved to Como in 1925. There, the young Parisi would begin to develop his interest in architecture and design. After earning a degree as a building inspector in 1936 and working as a civil engineer, Parisi took on an apprenticeship in the studio of Giuseppe Terragni, the modernist, fascist Italian architect, pioneer of the Rationalist movement and creator of the iconic Casa del Fascio.
While working for Terragni, Parisi crossed paths with such contemporary design talents as Lucio Fontana, Bruno Munari and Pietro Lingeri, though he briefly moved away from design and architecture to explore photography and film. His artistic work would soon be interrupted, however, by the outbreak of World War II, during which he served at the front before returning to Como in 1943. There, he resumed work as a designer and architect, founding two architecture groups: the Alta Quota and the Gruppo Como.
Through his creative circles, Parisi met Luisa Aiani, a former student of the prolific architect and furniture designer Gio Ponti, who was affiliated with the Alta Quota. They married in 1947 and founded the studio La Ruota — a cross between a design firm and an intellectual salon — in Como shortly thereafter. In 1950, Parisi finally completed his architectural schooling, studying under the nationalist architect Alberto Sartoris at the Athenaeum Architecture School in Lausanne, Switzerland. He and Aiani began several decades of sophisticated output, designing curved sofas upholstered in yellow velvet and armchairs with slender mahogany frames for enduring Italian manufacturers such as Cassina and others.
Much like Charles and Ray Eames in America, the Parisis worked as a team and relied on experimentation in style and material for many of their designs. Ico Parisi died in Como in 1996.
Find a collection of vintage Ico Parisi coffee tables, dining chairs and more on 1stDibs.
Coffee table attributed to Ico Parisi
By Ico Parisi
Located in BE
Italian elegance is what we think of when we see this coffee table. This coffee table is attributed to the famous Italian designer Ico Parisi. This is a clear example of Italian eleg...
Glass
Coffee Table in the Style of Ico Parisi, C. 1950s
By Ico Parisi
Located in Westport, CT
Inspired by the iconic Italian modernism of Ico Parisi, this sculptural coffee table embodies the elegance and fluidity of Mid-Century design. Featuring an angular freeform silhouett...
Bronze
Rare coffee table by Hugues Poignant
By Hugues Poignant
Located in Saint Ouen, France
Hugues Poignant is a French designer known for his innovative approach and strong aesthetic sense, combining functionality and elegance in each of his creations. He founded his own d...
Laminate, Rosewood
$2,825
H 13.78 in W 31.5 in D 31.5 in
1960s Mid-Century Modern Square 751 Coffee Table by Ico Parisi per Cassina
By Cassina, Ico Parisi
Located in Aci Castello, IT
A nr 751 square coffee table designed by Ico Parisi, manufactured by Cassina, it's labeled cassina and it has normal signs of use and age on the wood and the glass. It is a classic e...
Glass, Wood
KGBL Keenan Coffee Table
By KGBL
Located in New York, NY
The Keenan Coffee Table features African Ebony that's paired with a bronze interlayer and black glass top. This is a natural product that may have slight imperfections. This is the beauty of the product and makes it unique from other items...
Bronze
Biarritz Coffee Table by Barlas Baylar
By Hudson Furniture, Barlas Baylar
Located in New York, NY
Designed by Barlas Baylar, the Biarritz coffee Table creates a grandeur aesthetic with its refined material combination, H9 wood and Black Lacque...
Bronze, Stainless Steel
Heritage Collection Nest Coffee Table
Located in Miami, FL
The nest coffee table features calacatta marble top, sand colored leather legs with steel accents.
Marble
Berliner Coffee Table by Aguirre Design
Located in Geneve, CH
Berliner coffee table by Aguirre Design Dimensions: L 152.4 X W 96.5 X H 35.6 cm Materials: Solid maple with grey oxidized finish and brushed stainless steels inserts Pedestals in solid maple with grey oxidized finish Rustic yet refined the Berliner coffee table is handcrafted with two uneven Maple slabs. It also features two stainless steel inserts for balanced contrast. Top rests on two solid Maple pedestals. Table is hand-finished in a light gray stain. Combining traditional craftsmanship and contemporary elegance, Aguirre Design is an American company that creates extraordinary luxury furnishings, one-of-a-kind custom pieces, and unique décor items for the modern home. Sculptural yet functional, the collections are inspired by the minimalist forms found in nature and use such elemental materials as wood, metal, and leather to forge a connection between rusticity and refinement, the past and the future. Each piece is conceived in the family-owned studio’s downtown New York City headquarters, and then handmade in their Long Island City warehouse with meticulous attention to detail and high-quality standards. With more than 25 years of experience crafting singular items that tell a story, owner and founder Mauricio Aguirre provides the guiding vision for the brand. Sons Mateo Aguirre and David...
Stainless Steel
Heritage Collection Nest Coffee Table
Located in Miami, FL
The Nest coffee table features botticino marble top, black lacquered legs and brushed brass detail.
Marble
Ladera Coffee Table by Croft House
Located in Los Angeles, CA
66"W + 36"D + 15"H PATINATED STEEL The Ladera Coffee Table showcases the beauty of artisanal steelwork through deliberate, hand-crafted detailing. The defining characteristic of...
Wood
