ProductCasa Cabana’s New Tabletop Collection Will Take You Around the World and Back AgainMartina Mondadori tapped artisans across the globe to create vibrant pieces in splashy hues

By Madeline O'Malley

April 28, 2022

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Photo: Guido Taroni

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Design aficionados have become adept “armchair travelers” in the last two years—so much so that they have moved beyond scrolling Pinterest and Instagram and into something a bit more concrete. From the comfort of their homes, today’s designers are translating the spirit of far-flung places into tangible items at a rapid pace. Nobody embodies this concept better than Martina Mondadori of Cabana magazine and its namesake product line, Casa Cabana. Mondadori’s latest tabletop collection, Fresco, is a swoon-worthy mix of ceramics, linens, and glassware, all evoking the history of traditional craft in places ranging from Italy to Colombia.

The Fresco collection by Casa Cabana.

Photo: Guido Taroni

Much like Mondadori’s own style, the collection is varied and eclectic. Cabana partnered with Richard Ginori to create the Olga plates, which pay homage to 19th-century Uzbek ceramics and feature traditional Ikat motifs of concentric flowers. To achieve an authentic heritage look, the Ginori artisans used stencils and spray paint, mimicking the irregularities seen in original takes on the concept. The table linens—a mix of cornflower blues, punchy reds, and complimentary pinks and greens—are inspired by Renaissance wall decorations. Mondadori, a virtuoso of the layered look, notes that “as always at Casa Cabana, tablecloths are the canvas to start ‘painting’ with,” and encourages consumers to “have fun mixing all the other elements on the table.”

The Fresco collection.

Photo: Guido Taroni

For glassware, Mondadori turned to the expert artisans of Murano. Balloton glasses are shown in blue, amber, and green, and hand-painted oil bottles add a particularly charming element to an arrangement. Speckled ceramics made in Puglia feel new and fresh thanks to a contrasting scalloped edge that adds geometry and shape to the setting. Mondadori also tapped Colombian artisans to create woven placemats in vibrant hues. Altogether, the collection serves as a reminder that as the world continues to globalize in so many ways, so too does the table.

The launch of Fresco coincides with Cabana’s 17th issue, created in collaboration with Belmond. Belmond serves as Cabana’s first hospitality partner, a hopeful sign that real-life travel is yet again on the horizon.