
Martin Brattrud presents the Azusa occasional table series, designed by Alyssa Coletti. The new collection is a blend of materiality and form, with durability for the contract market. The line features five distinctive base silhouettes made of aluminum and a range of top options. With minimal components, the balance of airiness and substance serves to enhance contemporary spaces. “Azusa is very pure, because I was trying to use the materials in a simple way,” said Coletti.
The new series marks the second collaboration between company and designer. The first, the Inyo chair, debuted in 2021, so Azusa was an ideal next introduction. “The timing is often based on the prior launch sequence, just to make sure that our products are appropriate,” explained Tim Penczar, principal, Martin Brattrud.
Coletti viewed her work on Azusa as an opportunity to give users another versatile piece that they could update to best suit their needs. “It was a nice segue, even though both concepts are very different from each other,” she noted. “I am constantly thinking about how I can give the specifier as much ownership of a design as possible, so they can really tweak it to seamlessly flow into whatever the interior happens to be.”
Indeed, with the array of tabletops available, from solid walnut, quartz, and stone, among others, plus solid or metallic powder-coat finishes, personalization becomes effortless. Designers today want to be able to make changes to a favorite grouping without being limited to a few styles or finishes, yet keep a similar overall look. “A client wants to have the same product line, but not necessarily blended together in the exact same space. They will use it throughout, with different colors on different floors, for example,” Penczar said. “The beauty of Azusa is that it can be a lot of things to a lot of people.”

Starting with a foundation of aluminum sheet, the challenge for the designer was to make a streamlined table that wasn’t bland. How could she take a common metal and put her own creative take on it? Without extra embellishments, Coletti said the piece would catch the eye, so the appearance was as important as the functionality. “It is not an easy thing to achieve when you have this spare structure, because every flaw it has is going to be noticeable.”
However, Coletti quickly realized that the gently folded panels create striking—and unexpected—variations that provide visual interest, reminiscent of an artwork that appears transformed depending upon the elements that surround it and a viewer’s perspective. The interplay of bright and dark adds another layer of appeal. “There are very thin edges of the aluminum paired with broad surfaces,” Coletti said. “Depending on the direction of the light, you get this mix of hard and soft shadows. The table seems to float off of the ground.”

The palette of tones allows users to dial the look up or down to align with a particular setting or company messaging. Vibrant shades are found in tech companies or schools, with neutrals often selected for traditional corporate environments. “We play in all of these different markets. We do stadiums, healthcare, and universities,” Penczar noted. “A lot of our clients want to be able to incorporate signature branding colors. There could be one bright table in a corner, and that makes a certain statement. It could be the complete opposite in a monochromatic white or gray, and it still has presence, but it is a little bit quieter.”
Coletti said she appreciates that in the contract arena there is not only an emphasis on aesthetics, but also on producing pieces that last. Her process, she explained, is one that prioritizes problem-solving over trying to capture a single mood. “I am always trying to design options into something so that it is useful. I am aware of trends but I don’t necessarily design for trends.”
She believes it is an approach that will make Azusa tables instant classics. “I think that these are exceptionally timeless tables,” Coletti added. “I don’t think there’s anything about them that suggests that they are from 2024. They are relevant for this time, and hopefully they will have longevity.”


