Header: Courtesy of MillerKnoll, Inc.
The Halves Coffee Table by MSDS Studio for Muuto was designed around a simple idea: a low, solid table made fully from terrazzo. It can be used anywhere, from indoor living rooms to outdoor pool sides, so its shape, surface and construction all come from the demands of a tough material that can sustain any setting.
“With the Halves Coffee Table, we wanted to work with terrazzo not just as a surface but as a substance. It’s a material with permanence — timeless, architectural, and not overly refined.”
Jonathan Sabine of MSDS Studio
Working with terrazzo
It is the terrazzo that gives the table its character. It is a cement-based mix filled with natural stone chips, which ends up giving the surface small shifts in pattern, colour and texture. The table is cool to the touch, lightly textured but still smooth, with the small stones visible across the body of the piece. Because the chips are natural, each table has its own variations. Furthermore, it is treated with a stone sealer that repels water and oil, making the table sturdy and able to withstand long periods of time outdoors.
“Terrazzo has this grounded, almost geological feel. The form we created lets that material speak… it’s simple but not symmetrical. There’s a slight imbalance that gives it identity.”
Jonathan Sabine
Design in pieces
The table is cast in single pieces, giving the joints a clean finish. Below, the base forms an X shape, creating space for books, trays or small objects underneath. Halves can work as a coffee table, a display stand or both at the same time. Plastic glides are fitted under the base to protect hard and soft floors.
Halves is available in light taupe or off-white. Both colours are neutral, which means that, complemented by its sculptural shape, the table can look great in different settings, from open-air patios to living rooms.
Halves follows on from MSDS Studio’s earlier work with Muuto. In 2016, the studio designed the Halves Side Table, a smaller piece with an asymmetrical shape, single-piece construction and a shelf below the top. Its outline changes when seen from different angles. The coffee table uses the same ideas in a larger size. It keeps the asymmetrical form and lower storage area but turns them into a wider, lower piece for use in living rooms or shared spaces.
