The weeks and days before my accident in Costa Rica I listened to Beirut’s No No No on repeat. After the accident, it was the only album I could listen to and I did so every day— the meditative sounds helped soothe my anxious mind and body. Its title mirrors the repetitive nature of the album. This repetition was vital in creating a sense of normalcy to help keep me grounded. Staying grounded was important but I realized too much repetition could lead to stagnation. I needed something lighthearted and whimsical in my life, something that subverted the idea of what furniture is and what it can be.

The table’s design is anchored in the repetition of forms and the function was inspired by the drums in the songs “Gibraltar” and “No No No”. While my hand was healing I would imagine myself beating a drum while listening to these songs or as an icebreaker during a social event. I wanted a drum that was more than an instrument and a table that was more than furniture. The resonating table blurs the lines between furniture and instrument. The base functions as an acoustic amplifier, the strings add additional musical variety, and the top features a leather drum head inlaid in a Baltic birch wood head. Built at the end of my recovery, the table signified my healing and provided a meditative outlet throughout the entire design, build, and use process. Once the table is installed, the use and movement around the table produces unique sounds that cause the user to pause and appreciate the subtle musicality of the everyday.