de Le Cuona | African Engraved Table XXL No.2 – Natural

This is a substantial occasional table, its top and sides worked over with fine engraved detail so that the surface catches light differently as you move around it. We have had a few of these through the studio and they never read as decorative for its own sake, the carving is dense enough to give real texture but restrained enough to sit quietly against a plain wall or a heavier sofa. It has the presence of a piece that has been made rather than manufactured, which is exactly the point.

It comes in the XXL No.2 size, in a natural finish that keeps the timber tone pale and warm rather than stained dark, letting the engraving do the work. As with the rest of the de Le Cuona furniture pieces, no two are quite identical, the hand-carving means there is movement in the pattern from one table to the next.

We tend to place this at the end of a bed, at the side of a deep sofa, or on its own in a hallway where there is space to walk around it and see the carving from more than one angle. It pairs well with de Le Cuona's own linens and the felted cashmere throws, which soften the hard edge of the wood, and with a single lamp or a stack of books rather than a crowded surface.

Before ordering, check the floor space and door widths for delivery, as XXL pieces of this kind can be heavier and wider than they first appear in photographs. It arrives fully made, needing no assembly, though we would recommend two people to lift it into final position given the weight of the timber. Keep it away from direct radiator heat and out of strong, constant sunlight, and wipe with a dry cloth rather than anything wet, to protect the engraved surface over time.