Bonaldo 'OCTA' Rectangular Ceramic Dining Table: An 8-Legged Structure Inspired by Mikado

A Dining Table That Designs the 'Base' with Eight Legs

OCTA reverses the common formula where the tabletop is usually the protagonist in a dining table. The first thing that catches the eye is not the top, but the base where metal rods intersect and gather like columns. In the rectangular composition, the ceramic top intervenes with restraint, organizing the structural rhythm. The reason this table reads strongly in a space is not because of decoration, but because the 'way of supporting the load' itself has become the form.

Bonaldo's Approach to 'Tables'

The Italian brand Bonaldo operates a wide collection spanning dining, living, and sleeping furniture, but among these, tables are the category where the brand's design language is most explicitly revealed. The approach is characterized by collaborating with multiple designers while maintaining consistent 'furniture quality' through production expertise and material development. The designer partnership structure and collection direction introduced by the brand can be found on the official page: Bonaldo · Designers.

Product Background: Structural Experiment Derived from 'Mikado'

OCTA is a table designed by Bartoli Design for Bonaldo, and its name comes from the Greek word 'okto (8)'. The core idea originates from the entanglement and balance of metal rods inspired by the game of 'Mikado (pickup sticks)'. In other words, the task of fixing what appears to be chaotic intersections into an "ordered structure" was the starting point of the base design. This background is relatively clearly revealed in the project description published by the studio and in Bonaldo's product introduction: Bartoli Design OCTA · Bonaldo OCTA.

Design Points: Division of Roles Between 'Complex Base' and 'Restrained Top'

The design of this table clearly separates the roles of two elements. First, the legs do not treat the condition of 'eight' as simple repetition, but rather bundle the bent and welded rods to support each other, creating 'column'-like masses. From a distance it appears light, but up close the connections are dense, and stability is conveyed through the structure. Second, the ceramic top functions as an 'organized surface' that accommodates the complexity of the base. Particularly in a rectangular table, ceramic reduces psychological burden regarding usage marks (thanks to material perception that it is relatively resistant to heat and staining) and also connects to the recent lifestyle of using dining tables like 'work surfaces'. Bonaldo also mentions on the product page that OCTA received the Good Design Award in 2013.

Installation Example

Based on the review, the shipping completion date is December 1, 2025, and this is a case where a glossy ceramic top (Calacatta series) was chosen for the rectangular configuration, emphasizing the contrast between the dark tone of the base and the pattern of the top. Since the table itself has a strong sculptural quality, surrounding storage and lighting are coordinated with products that have clean lines, leaving the impression of organizing it to become a 'central object'. The brightness provided by the large surface area of the top keeps the space from feeling heavy.

What Spaces Suit It

OCTA is particularly effective when the dining space is open-plan (connected to the living area) because the 'sculptural base' determines the character of the furniture. Conversely, in spaces with many accessories, visual information can become congested, so it's more stable to leave margins around the table. The ceramic top version becomes a reasonable choice for family dining tables where you want to reduce maintenance difficulty, or for users looking for a table that doubles as a home office and work surface. Product information can be found on the product page.

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