Colony Classics: Dish Side Table by Grain

Grain has always been forward-thinking, be it in their commitment to environmentalism or in their progressive design. In 2012, they launched the Dish series, a collection distinguished by striking sloped underbellies, like that of the Dish Side Table. These sculptural tables are not only milled to avoid warping and cracking over time, but also double as stools. Co-founder Chelsea Minola recalls, ““Our first Dish tables were inspired by a collection of hand-carved stools that I inherited from my grandparents. The original tables have a great sculptural presence but warped and cracked over time. Our idea was to take inspiration from the basic dished-out top but to make them in a way that allows for more stability as well as providing a more useful flat surface.”

For her partner James, the tables are more about the fabrication process itself, “Traditionally, if you are going to make a wood dish or bowl you would use a lathe, but that process is quite limiting in terms of scale.” They utilize a robotic milling arm in its stead, allowing them to refine massive cuts of lumber to smooth distinction.