Thanks to very picturesque descriptions of desert landscapes, most of us probably grew up with very negative images of these sun-kissed lands. But just like any other aspect of Mother Nature, you can always find beauty even in these unforgiving conditions. From the gently rolling dunes to the unique flora and fauna that not only survive but also thrive there, the desert is surprisingly full of life and surprises.

The desert can also serve as a source of inspiration, from literature to art to, well, design. This striking coffee table, for example, clearly takes its visual cues from the land of sands but also sends a clear message through its simple use of materials and forms. Just like how the desert combines opposite themes of life and death, this table also harmonizes contrasting elements that are, in reality, connected through a common origin: sand.

Designer: Karim+Elias

It’s almost hard to imagine how a very solid, smooth, and transparent glass actually comes from rough, grainy sand, but just like diamonds and pearls, the process can almost be compared to a trial by fire, almost literally, too. The two are almost thematically opposed to one another. One is a product of nature, the other, an achievement of man. One blinds and obscures while the other clarifies and magnifies.

The Desert Drop table combines these two sand-themed objects in a composition that feels almost natural yet, at the same time, unstable. After all, whatever could be more precarious than a fragile sheet of glass laid over smooth, curved rocks that look like sand dunes that could collapse at any moment? Of course, it’s all just an illusion, just like much of this head-turning table.

Three dune-like structures hold the irregular layer of glass aloft. The tabletop, however, is not your typical flat surface and has bumps where the glass meets the top of those stones. It’s almost as if the glass melted as it descended on the sand before suddenly solidifying. From certain angles, it looks almost like a pool of water settling around desert oases, yet another one of the contrasts that give the desert life.

This isn’t the first table that marries contrasting glass and rock, but compared to that, there is a sense of serenity and elegance to the merger of these sand-born objects. It causes one to pause in awe and wonder, thinking of how such a fragile material could rest so firmly on top of unpredictable sand. Although this combination was born of man-made efforts, it exudes a beauty that makes it feel organic and natural, challenging our stereotypes of the harsh and deadly environments of the desert.