Stefano Giovannoni gives Pako a single trunk-like leg that rises to a circular top, a simple structure built for holding objects rather than crowding a space. We picked it for that restraint: one support, one surface, 41.5 centimetres wide and 59.5 centimetres tall, so it slots beside a chair or sofa without asking for extra floor space. The circular top keeps a drink, a book or a lamp within reach, which is all a side table needs to do.

Pako is available in various finishes, including a gold metal option, so the piece can be matched to the room rather than the room matched to it. That range of finish is where the piece earns its place as a small, flexible fitting rather than a fixed one.