Blog/Meet The Designer: Manoteca

upcycled desk and table hybrid made from reclaimed timber doors

A pair of Italian wooden doors are reimagined as a table and desk hybrid by designer-maker, Elisa Cavani of Manoteca.

 

timber doors upcycled to a desk by manoteca

Indoor C, €5,000, Manoteca

 

 

Designer-maker Elisa Cavani creates beautifully crafted vintage objects and unique furnishings from waste materials and abandoned items. With imagination and creative flair, Elisa's designs not only retain the identity of the reclaimed but allow for new possibilities. Handmade and one-of-a-kind, each design is numbered, signed and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. If you're looking for an investment piece, this is it.

(Above, and left) This unusual indoor table is handcrafted from a set of vintage exterior wooden doors. When closed, the piece functions as a dining table with space for four to six people. When open, it transforms into a spacious desk.

Within, iron straps have been inserted to hold paperwork. Two storage drawers, one fixed and one sliding, have also been added, with the larger drawer sliding in both directions to create additional workspace.

The antique doors remain exactly as they were and the bold dash of green varnish on the inside frames, together with their original hinges and latch, really adds to the character of this door-table-desk.

(Below) This old artisan's workbench has been transformed into a statement kitchen island, complete with sink. The iron vices are authentic and the wooden worksurface has been thoroughly cleaned but not restored, ensuring it retains every scratch and scrape of original character.

 

upcycled kitchen workbench made from reclaimed timber by manoteca

Olmo G, €6,000, Manoteca