Imagine, an artisan in Indonesia, whose job it is to dig up old roots from teak trees that were harvested years ago, slice the roots into irregular slabs three inches thick, and transform them into eye-catching one-of-a-kind benches and end tables like this one. “Rather than getting rid of them, we are repurposing them to make tables,” says Gary Babcock, senior VP of fashion and merchandising at Arhaus. The Ohio-based company works with artisans all over the world to source materials for the furniture in their Roots and their Relics collections, which include antiques, artisanal pieces and unique works of art. This Teak Root Slab Coffee Table (with dining tables launching soon) can be used indoors or out because, according to Babcock, it is virtually indestructible. “Teak is the natural wood most impervious to the elements,” he says. “You need to keep it oiled or refinish it once a year to maintain it. It is very organic, very natural,” he continues. “It has an irregular shape, because that’s the way the tree grows.” arhaus.com
—Rona Berg