Seletti is the Italian brand that turns everyday objects into jokes, stories and small works of art. In this guide we look at what makes its approach to design so distinctive, then walk through the lighting, furniture, tableware and collaborations we stock, with ideas for using them at home.
A playful approach to design
The common thread in Seletti's work is surprise. A familiar object is scaled up, flipped or given a character, so you look twice. A biro becomes a lamp, a mushroom becomes a stool, circus performers wrestle with a lampshade. The pieces are useful, but they are also meant to make you smile.
Much of that energy comes from the designers and artists Seletti works with. Marcantonio, CTRLZAK, Uto Balmoral, Elena Cutolo and Loredana Longo all appear in the range, alongside brand collaborations with BIC, Diesel Living and Toiletpaper magazine.
Lighting with character
Seletti lighting is where most people start. The BIC Lamp, a collaboration between Seletti and BIC, reinterprets the BIC Cristal pen at an oversized 12:1 scale and comes in the pen's three classic colours. It looks brilliant on a desk or in a home office.
The Circus Abatjour Lamp is designed with the humour of Uto Balmoral, for whom objects must have character and provoke astonishment: little circus characters lift a flap of the shade as if it were their tent. These lamps suit what Seletti calls the "apartment gallery" look, a few non-conformist, witty objects that add personality to a room.
For the full choice, including the monkey lamps, browse our Seletti lighting collection.
Furniture: from mushrooms to floral sofas
Seletti furniture tends to be the statement in a room, so plan around it. The Amanita Stool & Table by Italian designer Marcantonio is a table and stool set shaped like giant mushrooms, as if it came straight out of an enchanted wood. It works indoors or in the garden, and also comes in pure white for a calmer feel.
Marcantonio also designed the Botanical Diva series of upholstered furniture. The Botanical Diva Armchair has sensual, comfortable curves covered in an ironic floral pattern that mixes 1950s taste with a touch of frivolity. Put it in a reading corner with a plain wall behind it and let the pattern carry the room.
For floors, the Burnt Carpet comes from Loredana Longo's Burnt series, first shown in London in 2019, which turns traditional Oriental rugs into canvases for words, each letter formed by fire.
Tableware that starts a conversation
Seletti tableware is an easy way to bring the brand to the table without committing a whole room.
- The Hybrid Soup Bowl belongs to the Hybrid collection by Italian studio CTRLZAK, which combines historic decorations from Western and Eastern ceramic traditions into contemporary pieces.
- The Classics on Acid Cake Stand from Diesel Living with Seletti is a two-tier stand that views traditional tableware through an after-party gaze: familiar decorations, distorted into something playful and surreal.
- The Burlesque Chimp Candelabra features a sculpted chimp in a suit beneath five candle holders, with elaborate baroque detailing: a theatrical centrepiece for a dinner party.
Mixing is part of the fun. A Hybrid bowl next to a Classics on Acid plate works because both play with tradition. Keep glassware and linen simple so the decoration stands out. Our Seletti tableware page has the full range.
How to style Seletti at home
Think of Seletti pieces as the punchline in a room. One clear statement, such as a BIC Lamp on a desk or an Amanita set in the garden, will say more than several competing for attention. Surround them with calm, solid colours and natural materials, and repeat one shade from the piece in a cushion or print nearby.
Explore our full Seletti collection, or visit the shop in Somerset and ask the team for help finding the right piece for your home.
