BH | Studio Arendal Round Faux Marble Coffee Table

A table carried on one central column is an old idea: Georgian cabinetmakers set round tops on a single turned stem so that a family could gather close without knocking knees. In the 1950s, as the clean Scandinavian look that Norway shared with its neighbours spread around the world, modern designers took the column back to its simplest shape, a flared stem rising from a broad round foot, and left the floor beneath completely clear.

The round top is faux marble, black with fine white veining, given a bevelled edge so it reads as a single cut slab. It is carried on a stem in White, Jet or Brass that tapers and then flares into a smooth disc foot, finished to resist chips. The single support leaves the floor beneath clear for feet and a footstool, a felt pad protects it, and assembly is required.

Make it the centre of a living room built for company: coffee cups first thing, then cocktails and a plate of olives when friends arrive. Black and white is a graphic, gallery pairing that never dates. Set it on a pale rug between two white armchairs, with a black lacquer box, a chunky candle and a single white orchid, and let a striped throw or a modern print bring the colour.