Primitive Chic at Douglas Dawson Gallery in Chicago ($350!)

Indonesian artisans turned coconut shells into a shapely, Saarinen-inspired side table for sale at Douglas Dawson Gallery in Chicago. Think how these simple tables with a seemingly rough texture would look coupled with a sumptuous velvet sofa. At $350, the earthy colors offer a lot of visual drama for less than four Benjamins. Gallerist Armando Espana, who works for Douglas Dawson, says some of the tables need wood filler, but he lives with one, too. “It looks good with a stack of books or sculpture,” Armando says.

Hour-glass shape is timeless

table top close up

Coconut-shell veneer looks chic ($350)