Milan 2016: London design studio Pinch has unveiled a limited edition of its Nim coffee table, which combines plaster and resin composite material Jesmonite with powdered copper.

Similarly to the original Nim table, launched during last year's London Design Festival, the updated version was created using Jesmonite cast in a mould to create tapering sides and a smooth, flat tabletop.

But this time Pinch added fine powdered copper to create a metallic finish.

Described by the manufacturers as "a safe alternative to fibreglass and a lightweight alternative to cast concrete", Jesmonite is made by mixing gypsum plaster powder with acrylic resin.

The material is becoming increasingly popular in the design industry. It was used by artist Hilda Hellström to create her The Erosional Remnant installation for London's Ace hotel and by designer Ariane Prin in her debut homeware collection of rusty bowls.

"Jesmonite was ultimately selected because it has excellent casting properties and can replicate very fine details," said the Pinch team. "The addition of the metal flex reveals the copper content when burnished back."

To create the colour graduation on the sides of the piece, the designers used a combination of blowtorch work, hand painting, and cold patination – a process by which a metal object develops a thin layer of oxidised metal on its surface.

Copper Nim will be available in a limited numbered edition of 50, all of which are hand layered and hand painted.

Pinch will present the Copper Nim coffee tables as part of a furniture collection during this year's Milan design week, where it will be taking over an old Milanese shoe shop in San Gregorio, Milan.

Other designs that will be on show during Milan design week include a collection of "intentionally boring" office furniture, a series of 50 chairs based on manga-style comic books and a range of splotchy metal stools.