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Interior designers are incorporating tables with carved, hammered or jagged edges into rooms, using the texture to contrast with smoother finishes. Designers interviewed by Livingetc say the look can work on dining and coffee tables, but recommend restraint and note that rough surfaces may be harder to clean.
Interior designers are using tables with rough, textured edges to add an organic counterpoint to rooms dominated by smooth finishes, according to a Livingetc report featuring designers in Australia, the United States and France. The examples span dining, coffee and side tables, but designers say the look also has practical limits: textured surfaces can be harder to clean.
The featured tables use wood or stone with carved, hammered or otherwise irregular edges. The effect is not simply an unfinished slab: the designers describe shaping the edge to emphasize the material’s natural qualities, then setting it against more precise forms or refined surfaces. Livingetc reports that examples include a travertine top paired with chrome legs and a beige marble dining table with a textured edge.
Steffanie Ball, co-founder of furniture brand En Gold, told Livingetc that rough edges can make a room feel warmer and less uniform. The report also features a round dining table by Paris-based designer Emmanuelle Simon, with a carved edge and hand-gouged texture on its base. These are individual design projects and products, not evidence of a quantified shift in the wider furniture market.
Designers suggest using the finish selectively. Yasmine Ghoniem, director of Sydney studio YSG, told Livingetc she would consider textured edges on coffee-table surfaces or legs, and on elements such as a bedside console or feature wardrobe. Ball recommended repeating related materials or textures in a few places, including consoles, shelving, plinths or decorative stone objects, rather than applying the look throughout a home.
Texture Challenges Smooth Room Finishes
The design appeal described in the report comes from contrast and tactility. A rugged edge can interrupt a room of straight lines and polished surfaces without changing its overall layout or palette. For a minimalist room, it may add visual detail; alongside softer materials such as linen, timber or upholstered seating, it can reinforce a more natural feel.
That makes the trend relevant to people choosing a prominent piece of furniture, not just to designers specifying whole rooms. A table edge is visible and within reach, so its texture can affect both how a piece looks and how it feels to use. The trade-off is maintenance: the report notes that this finish is not the easiest to clean, and does not provide specific care guidance for different stones or finishes.
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From Dining Tables to Smaller Accents
Dining tables are a prominent example in the report because their size makes the edge a noticeable part of the room. But the designers also point to smaller or less frequently used surfaces as places to try the treatment. Adyn Kelly, founder of an Australian interior design studio, told Livingetc that he would use it on a coffee table, plinth, bench end or powder-room vanity, where the visual effect may matter more than frequent handling.
Kelly’s featured travertine table combines a jagged top with straight, machined chrome legs. He told Livingetc the contrast was intentional: the edge was meant to look like a natural fracture, while the legs remain precise. Ball described a similar balance in En Gold’s dining-table design, saying the aim was to preserve the character of the stone without overworking it. The report frames these as examples of designers balancing organic-looking material with controlled forms.
“It celebrates the imperfections that make natural materials so beautiful, rather than trying to disguise them.”
— Steffanie Ball, co-founder of En Gold, speaking to Livingetc
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How Broad Is the Design Shift?
The report describes rough-edged tables as a trend designers are seeing more often, but it provides no sales figures, survey data or market-wide measurement to establish how common the style has become. Its examples and comments show interest among the featured designers; they do not establish that most interior designers or furniture buyers prefer this finish.
Practical performance will also depend on the material, the way the edge is made and how the table is used. The source does not compare cleaning methods, durability or costs across different stones and woods. Buyers should ask a retailer or maker how a specific piece should be maintained before purchase.
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Where Designers May Use the Finish
The source does not announce a product launch, industry event or next formal milestone. For now, the development is a design trend reported through project examples and designer interviews. The designers’ recommendations point to likely applications: dining tables for a stronger statement, or coffee tables, consoles and decorative objects for a more limited use of texture.
Anyone considering the look can compare how a sample or finished piece feels and ask about care requirements before committing to a large table. The report’s central guidance from Ball is restraint: repeat natural materials thoughtfully, but do not apply the textured finish everywhere. Whether the style spreads beyond the featured projects remains to be seen.
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Key Questions
What is a rough-edged table?
It is a table with a visibly textured or irregular edge, often made from wood or stone. The report describes edges that are carved, hammered or shaped to look organic.
Why are designers using textured table edges?
The designers interviewed by Livingetc say the finish adds contrast to rooms with smooth surfaces and can bring a more tactile, natural quality to a space.
Where can the look be used besides a dining table?
Designers cited coffee tables, consoles, shelving, plinths, bench ends and decorative stone objects. Yasmine Ghoniem also suggested console or wardrobe details.
Are rough-edged tables difficult to maintain?
The report says the finish will not be the easiest to clean, but gives no care instructions or comparisons among materials. Ask the maker or retailer about maintenance for the specific piece.
Does the report show that rough-edged tables are a widespread market trend?
No. It documents examples and designer opinions, but provides no sales data or broader survey measuring how widespread the style is.
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