Designed in Milan in 1969 by architect Anna Castelli Ferrieri, the Kartell Componibili is a modular cylindrical storage unit built from injection-moulded ABS polymer. The three-tier edition (model 496715) pairs a 32-centimetre footprint with curved sliding doors, creating a compact side table and bedside locker that conceals household clutter without consuming floor space.
Most small side tables fail because they only provide a flat top surface, leaving books, remotes, and charging cables to spill across the room. Alternatively, small wooden chests of drawers require clearance for doors to swing open, which rarely works in tight alcoves or next to a deep armchair.
The Componibili solves this through a straightforward mechanical design: the doors slide laterally into the curved cavity of the cylinder using a simple finger hole. Nothing swings outward, and no moving parts require hinges or magnetic catches.
Key specifications
- Dimensions: 58.5 cm height × 32.0 cm diameter
- Material: Batch-dyed ABS polymer (recyclable and wipe-clean)
- Structure: Three fixed cylindrical tiers with grooved sliding doors
- Top surface: Recessed 32 cm tray with a 1 cm raised lip
- Weight: 3.25 kg
- Origin: Italy (manufactured by Kartell in Noviglio, Milan)
Why the 32 cm cylinder functions in small rooms
Rectangular side tables force rigid placement against a straight wall. Because the Componibili is circular, it fits naturally into awkward gaps between a sofa arm and a window frame, or right beside a bed where sharp corners present a constant hazard in the dark.
The top surface features a raised lip running around the entire perimeter. This prevents water glasses, pens, or a small table lamp from sliding off the edge if the unit is knocked. Inside, the three stacked drums provide independent storage zones:
- Top compartment: Daily essentials like reading glasses, medication, and notebooks.
- Middle compartment: Tablets, chargers, and reading material.
- Bottom compartment: Bulky items, spare textiles, or paperwork.
Anna Castelli Ferrieri and industrial polymer design
When Anna Castelli Ferrieri co-founded Kartell with chemical engineer Giulio Castelli, the prevailing assumption was that plastic was merely an inexpensive substitute for timber.
Castelli Ferrieri rejected this, treating ABS polymer as a distinct industrial material capable of seamless curves, durable mechanical tracks, and lasting stability.
The Componibili was introduced at the Milan Furniture Fair under the name Mobili 4970/84 and quickly entered the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
More than five decades later, the manufacturing process remains almost identical because the tool-less, single-mould construction has required no structural revisions.
This Kartell Componibili cabinet is also available on Amazon.
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