Desen Coffee Table by Ruya Akyol is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Silver A' Design Award in Furniture Design Competition Category.
SilverFurniture· 2025
Desen Coffee Table
by Ruya Akyol
Client: Ruya Akyol
Silver A' Design Award Winner in Furniture Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #167703The Design
About Desen Coffee Table
Desen, a modular coffee table collection inspired by traditional Mediterranean tile geometries, features two shapes of varying heights that permit numerous configurations and evoke an architectural aesthetic. Designed for individual use or as part of a larger composition, the collection balances functional practicality with sculptural form. Recessed tops offer practical surface areas while hollow interiors enhance material efficiency. Constructed from locally sourced marbles, Desen presents natural richness and texture, merging traditional influences with contemporary design principles.
The Recognition
About the Silver A' Design Award
Desen Coffee Table is a Silver A' Design Award winner, an extraordinarily prestigious recognition granted to top-of-the-line, gorgeous, and impressive designs. Silver winners are tremendously brilliant and exceedingly creative works that illustrate the outstanding expertise, talent, and acuity of their designers. Desen Coffee Table is expected to be a wonderful, showpiece work that is remarkably professional and profoundly innovative. This Silver A' Design Award-winning design is a highly notable, admired invention that benefits and advances the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Desen Coffee Table is a vastly envied creation that evokes desires, introduces positive feelings, and sparks amazement and wonderment.
Where to Get It
Bespoke Furniture and Product Design
We create refined furniture and product designs that merge contemporary Italian aesthetics with Scandinavian minimalism. Our studio specializes in holistic design solutions, from furniture concepts to brand identity, delivering cohesive and sophisticated results for discerning clients worldwide.
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Grand Interview
Your innovative approach to Mediterranean tile geometries in the Desen Coffee Table has earned you a Silver A' Design Award - could you share the journey of translating these traditional patterns into contemporary furniture design?
The journey began with a deep appreciation for Mediterranean tile geometries, particularly the bold patterns and rich cultural significance they carry. I wanted to reinterpret these traditional patterns in a way that resonates with modern living. The key challenge was blending these ancient, intricate designs with the functional requirements of a coffee table. I experimented with geometry and modularity, distilling the essence of these tiles into geometric shapes that could form a cohesive and functional design. The final product is a celebration of history, transformed into a minimalist and contemporary piece that speaks to both heritage and modernity.
The Desen Coffee Table features intriguing recessed tops and hollow interiors - what inspired this architectural balance between material efficiency and functional practicality?
The recessed tops and hollow interiors were born from the desire to create a piece that felt substantial yet light, with a strong emphasis on material efficiency. By carving out spaces in the table’s structure, I was able to reduce material waste while maintaining an architectural aesthetic. These hollow spaces also provide functional value, offering storage solutions while contributing to the piece’s visual lightness. The design challenges conventional ideas of mass and void, creating an interplay between solidity and emptiness that feels dynamic and practical.
How did your research into Ottoman art and Islamic geometric patterns specifically influence the modular configuration possibilities of the Desen Coffee Table?
Ottoman art and Islamic geometric patterns are central to my work, offering a deep source of inspiration. These intricate designs are inherently modular, with repeating forms that lend themselves to structural and aesthetic adaptability. I drew on these principles to create a table that could be assembled in multiple configurations, with each piece acting as part of a greater whole. The geometric patterns, when adapted into a modular form, allowed for flexibility in design while maintaining harmony across the composition. The influence of these patterns is particularly evident in the way each individual element of the table fits together seamlessly, yet remains flexible.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- Desen is a collection of modular coffee tables composed of interlocking shapes with varying heights, allowing endless combinations. Each piece functions beautifully on its own or as part of a larger composition, offering dynamic architectural aesthetics. The recessed tops provide practical surfaces, while the hollow interiors reduce material waste. Locally sourced marbles add natural richness and texture.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Small Height 350 x Width 400 x Depth 400 mm
Medium Height 400 x Width 400 x Depth 400 mm
Tall Height 450 x Width 400 x Depth 400 mm - Tags
- coffee tables, pattern, luxury, marble, side tables, iconic, tiles, architectural, contemporary, elegant
- Production Technology
- Desen tables are crafted from responsibly sourced Turkish marbles, including Travertine, Karaman Beige, Kale Bordeaux, and Afyon White. The shapes are precision-cut and hollowed to reduce weight without compromising structural integrity. The recessed surface details are carefully milled to ensure both visual elegance and functional stability for objects placed on top.
- Design Challenge
- The challenge was to create iconic tables that are functional both individually and as part of a set. Achieving a puzzle-like aesthetic without compromising the tables’ standalone integrity required in-depth graphic design exploration. Balancing three different heights to serve varied needs while maintaining aesthetic harmony was equally demanding, pushing the boundaries of modular table design.
- Research
- The design process involved extensive research into Ottoman art and Islamic geometric patterns, referencing works like Cartier and Islamic Arts. This study of historical motifs helped reinterpret traditional forms into modern, functional pieces. The research highlighted the timeless appeal of symmetry and repetition, inspiring Desen’s modular, combinable design that brings cultural richness into contemporary living.
- Inspiration
- Desen draws inspiration from Mediterranean motifs and traditional tile patterns, reimagined through a contemporary lens. The design reflects extensive research into historical ornamentation, showcasing how geometric forms and intricate details can create timeless elegance in modern interiors.
- Project Duration
- The project started in September 2023 and will be presented at Salone Satellite in April 2025 during Salone del Mobile. The pieces are getting produced in Turkey to be presented in Italy.
- Operation Flow
- Desen tables are designed for flexible use. Their puzzle-like forms allow users to arrange them in countless ways whether as standalone side tables, combined coffee tables, or layered compositions at varying heights. The recessed surfaces secure items like cups and decor, while the lightweight, hollow design makes rearranging effortless for dynamic spaces.
- Team Members
- Ruya Akyol
- Image Credits
- Halit Besli
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