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When Nicole Arruda moved out of her Manhattan studio apartment into a two-bedroom, Spanish-style house in the suburbs, she wasn’t just gaining square footage and green space—she was embarking on a whole new style. She sold pretty much everything she owned. “The style of my studio was very ‘Upper East Side girl apartment.’ I wanted this space to be more European,” says Arruda, the founder of Nicole Alexandra Design Studio. While the designer did in fact import some items from abroad (the iron doors in her office are from France), she scoured U.S. stores for pieces that look a bit more Old World. She found one of those gems at—wait for it—West Elm.
Known primarily for its heavy selection of mid-century modern-inspired furniture, we were surprised to learn that Arruda’s coffee table is from the mass retailer. From the get-go, she wanted a piece that was organic and streamlined—something that balanced out the curvature of her vintage lounge chairs. “Bringing in warmth was also important, especially to help ground the ceiling beams, so wood felt like a natural choice,” she says.
Her parameters? “Size was a big factor,” she continues. “There isn’t a lot of space between the chairs and the sofa, so a narrower profile was high on the list.” Finding the right wood was just as important. She’s all for mixing different finishes in a space but it had to be consistent with the darker tones in the room to feel cohesive.
The Owen Coffee Table
Briefly, Arruda considered a reclaimed wood option from Etsy, but then she came across West Elm’s Owen Coffee Table. “I was drawn to the shape and the subtle angled details—they give it interest without feeling busy,” she shares. “The wood tone is also incredibly rich and complements the other finishes throughout my home beautifully.”
The product was more expensive than her Etsy find, coming in at $599. But unlike many veneer-clad tables, the Owen is made from solid, kiln-dried acacia wood. Another perk was the quick shipping: it arrived two weeks after she ordered it via white-glove delivery service.
Now centered in front of her RH sofa, the table is thoughtfully styled. “I like to layer books, play with varying stack heights, and add something sculptural, like a bowl or a small vase,” she says, sharing her advice to others who want to pull off a similar look. “Fresh flowers are always lovely, but with a lower table the scale matters. Opt for a vase with a smaller footprint and just a few stems to keep everything feeling balanced.”
And don’t forget to keep a coaster (or two) handy so it really lasts forever.