Silvio Coppola large walnut credenza by Bernini, Italy, 1960s

This sideboard with doors and drawers, featuring a hutch, is crafted from walnut wood, manufactured by Bernini and designed by Silvio Coppola in the 1960s.

Wood takes center stage in this architecturally shaped sideboard, which is part of a long-standing Italian tradition of artisan-crafted furniture. The design is by Silvio Coppola, a renowned architect and urban planner with a distinctive style, and it was produced by the esteemed Bernini company.

Upon examining the piece, you’ll notice that the doors and smooth surfaces display a unique cut of the wood, highlighting the characteristic flame pattern of Italian walnut. The sideboard is visually defined by a large hutch with rectangular compartments, perfect for storing dishes and glasses, making it ideal for setting and serving at the table. On the countertop, two drop-down compartments reveal a pair of trays. The joints, serving as decorative elements, and the distinctive openings of the doors showcase the careful design of this piece. Opening the side doors is a delightful surprise: with a design precision reminiscent of automotive engineering, the outer doors move in a pantograph style, taking along the sharp corner of the side panel. This "gullwing" opening is reminiscent of the Mercedes 300SL from 1954.

The knobs and uprights supporting the structure are voluminous, perfectly in tune with the overall spirit of the piece, which, following Coppola's aesthetic, conveys solidity and a strong visual presence. Whether in his architectural masterpiece, the Florence railway station, or his furniture designs, Coppola's distinct vision of the world tends towards monumentality. All of Coppola's works are admired for their hint of brutalist architecture, which, when applied to furnishings, softens within the warmth of domestic spaces, losing its harshness to communicate a sense of solidity, security, and graceful assertiveness.

Dimensions: 244w x 53d x 124h cm