Aldo Tura and the Glamour of Lacquered Goatskin

A magazine rack does not need to be this glamorous. It holds the papers. And yet, here we are.

That's the appeal of Aldo Tura. The Italian designer used lacquered goatskin on bar carts, cabinets and magazine racks, giving ordinary objects a finish worth stopping to look at. If your idea of mid-century begins and ends with clean lines and a pop of color, pull up a chair.

Look at the finish

Under the lacquer, the goatskin has a mottled depth. Amber, caramel, tobacco: the magazine rack we had through the shop could have supplied the whole color palette for a room. Add the brass, and suddenly the thing holding your Sunday papers has better jewelry than you do.

The mirrored tray takes it a step further. You put something on it, and the mirror gives it a little stage. An ice bucket, meanwhile, still has a job to do. I like that. Beautiful is lovely; beautiful with a purpose gives us something to talk about.

Why it works

The lacquer adds a protective layer, but the finish is what makes you stop. That smooth sheen, with all that variation beneath it, gives you more to look at than a flat color ever could.

You don't need an entire room of matching mid-century furniture to appreciate a piece like this. Give it somewhere to sit and let it do its thing. The magazine rack can hold the papers without apologizing for being the most interesting thing beside the sofa.