Species of Tables and Other Pieces is a minimalist furniture collection by the London-based designer and writer, Amelia Stevens. Inspired by French novelist Georges Perec’s 1974 book, Species of Spaces and Other Pieces, the collection consists of three tables that invite users to rethink the functionality and purpose of a seemingly ordinary object. Just as Perec’s work examines how we perceive and interact with everyday spaces, Stevens’ trio of tables challenges us to see tables not only as utilitarian pieces but as versatile, imaginative elements of daily life.

Species of Tables and Other Pieces includes a pair of side tables, or as Stevens describes them, “personal drink stands to be used for serving olives, as an informal ashtray, or however one wishes to imagine.” These functions are made possible by the design’s floating glass panels with removable hand-spun stainless steel dishes. One edition of the side table is made with a heavyweight 316 stainless steel base — selected for its sleek appearance and durability, making it suitable for both indoor and outdoor environments. Meanwhile, another iteration of the design features a sapele hardwood base with a white paint finish and lacquered edges, nodding to the works of the modernist designer and Irish architect, Eileen Gray.

The final table in the collection is the Species of Table — Low, a coffee table-style piece, also made with a sapele hardwood base and accented with 316 stainless steel rods. Each piece within the collection is modular and can be reconfigured and reimagined according to the user’s quotidian desires.   
As a whole, Species of Tables and Other Pieces pushes the boundaries of the typical table while mirroring Perec’s literary approach to spaces and everyday life. It’s an exciting new addition to the emerging designer’s oeuvre, continuing her use of playful literary references to frame her works within cultural and intellectual contexts, inviting viewers to engage with her work on both a functional and conceptual level.