BH | Studio Ripon Square Burl Coffee Table

Burl, the swirling, knotted figure cut from a rounded growth on a tree trunk, has been prized by cabinetmakers for centuries, and the Art Deco makers of the 1920s and 1930s laid it across whole surfaces for its depth of pattern. No two pieces of it are ever quite alike.

A wide, low block, square in plan, veneered in burl, in Almond or Honey, on the top and all four sides. Because the veneer is real wood, every table carries its own figure, and the figure gives a large piece a relaxed look with crisp, clean edges. An engineered wood core keeps it stable, and the top is rated to hold 440 lbs, strong enough for stacks of books, a lamp and a heavy tray at once. Adjustable feet underneath level it on any floor, with non-marking pads, and it needs no assembly: set it down and it is ready.

Its square top works between two facing sofas in a large living room, in front of a sectional in a family room, or at the centre of a media room or rec room where everyone needs to reach the popcorn. Style it with stacked books, a wide bowl and a pair of candlesticks. It is at its best in a beach house where everything is pale and sunlit: white slipcovers, driftwood tones, a striped flat-weave rug and a jug of dried grasses.