Lifestyle

Round, Rectangular, or Ragged: Interior Architect Aly Hammoud and Choosing the Perfect Coffee Table

Published

3 years ago

March 30, 2023

Saying “yes” to the right coffee table never gets any easier. An essential element of any well-thought-out living room, the choice often comes down to finding the right balance between form and function. Regardless of the designer’s direction with their space, choosing the right coffee table is a critical step toward achieving a cohesive and visually appealing interior design.

Designers must consider several factors when choosing a coffee table. First, the table size should be proportional to the size of the living room. A small coffee table in a large room will look out of place, and a large table in a small room will overwhelm the space. The table’s height is just as important. The ideal height typically falls between 16 and 18 inches, the same as most sofas. A coffee table that is too high or too low will prove uncomfortable for everyday use.

Designers must also consider shape, style, color, material, and space awareness. The table should complement the architecture of the room.

For example, round coffee tables are ideal for square rooms because they create contrast. It’s also important to consider the shape of the furniture, specifically the edges. A round coffee table would be an ideal fit for a living room where the sofa’s edges are also rounded.

The contrast in shapes, however, must be paired with coherence in materials. For example, if the furniture is made from mahogany wood, the table should reflect similar materials and hues. Different materials can be incorporated if the furniture contains metallic elements while considering the room’s overall coherence.

Space awareness is also essential to consider when choosing your coffee table. For instance, rectangular tables fit better in longer and narrower rooms because they don’t take up as much space as round or ragged tables. Suppose your room is spacious and wide enough. In that case, especially if it were an open studio, you can easily fit in round or ragged coffee tables, which are typically more challenging to style and arrange in certain spaces.

Most of the time, the table should match the space’s overall aesthetic. However, mixing elements and styles can help achieve a more dynamic finished product. Consider incorporating a mid-century coffee table in a room with more contemporary pieces or vice versa.

Ragged tables, however, are more sophisticated art pieces. Such tables don’t have a conventional shape, size, color, or edges. They can also have different and unique color patterns that must be mixed and matched professionally with your room’s overall aesthetic.

Of course, you can pick any type of coffee table that suits your needs and preferences in style and aesthetic. You need to make sure, however, that it is the ideal fit for the chosen room, furniture, style, and design. One way to do that is by choosing the right person for the job.

Coffee tables are an essential part of interior architecture. Not only do they function as practical surfaces for drinks and snacks, but they also contribute to the space’s general mood. Interior architects like Aly Hammoud understand coffee tables as powerful tools for tying a room together. They can create a focal point or complement other furniture pieces in the space.

Whether professional or amateur, the right designer should choose the coffee table carefully to ensure it fits seamlessly into the room’s overall design.

Check out Aly Hammoud’s Instagram account for more information.

Lifestyle

Confronting Propaganda: Street Smart Documents Honest Reactions to Gaza Indoctrination Footage

Published

3 days ago

November 6, 2025

Michelle Langton

Photo Courtesy of: Street Smart

Byline: Michelle Langton

In a recent project, the Street Smart team gathered 20 strangers and presented them with propaganda footage from Gaza that has circulated widely online but remains largely unfamiliar to many audiences. The aim wasn’t to provoke outrage or test media literacy in a classroom setting. It was to capture raw, unfiltered emotional reactions to material that reveals how narratives are formed at the source. The resulting video offers a candid look at how people process shocking content and how their perceptions shift when they see what is rarely shown on mainstream platforms.

The Structure of the Experiment

The format was simple. Participants were seated and shown a series of clips from Gaza, including children’s programming and broadcasts containing intense ideological messaging. No background information was provided, and viewers were not instructed on how to interpret what they were seeing. After watching, they were asked for immediate reactions.

The footage elicited a wide range of emotions. Some viewers were stunned by the content, admitting they had never seen anything like it before. Others expressed disbelief, questioning why this kind of material isn’t more widely discussed. A few were visibly shaken, saying the experience fundamentally altered their understanding of the situation.

By presenting the footage without narration or added commentary, Street Smart allowed participants’ genuine responses to emerge. The experiment revealed how propaganda can affect an entire generation. It can shock, unsettle, and force people to reconsider their assumptions.

Why This Project Matters

Sage Fox and Dorani aligned the purpose of this experiment with Street Smart’s broader mission of challenging prevailing narratives and encouraging critical thought among younger audiences. In an environment where footage spreads rapidly across digital platforms, propaganda can shape public opinion long before context catches up.

By showing the Gaza Indoctrination footage in a controlled setting and recording uncoached responses, the team aimed to expose the emotional and cognitive impact of this type of content.

“The first reaction is often the most revealing, because it shows how powerful images can be without context.”

The Range of Reactions

While each participant brought their own perspective, several themes emerged. Some expressed sympathy with the imagery itself, saying it was emotionally powerful.

One participant said, “It makes me question what I see online every day. How much of it is shaped this way?”

Their comments highlight how propaganda resonates differently depending on prior knowledge and exposure. Many viewers have simply never encountered such footage directly.

Street Smart’s Approach

This project continues a pattern established by Sage Fox & Dorani’s earlier videos. Rather than relying on experts or lengthy analysis, Street Smart focuses on real people and their honest reactions. The approach is simple but effective. Present potent material, listen to what people say, and share those moments with a wider audience.

The Gaza Indoctrination footage experiment fits this model. It doesn’t attempt to draw final conclusions or offer political commentary. Instead, it documents how people respond when they’re exposed to narratives that are usually filtered through intermediaries.

Implications for Media Literacy

Beyond its viral potential, the video raises broader questions about how people interact with powerful imagery online. Propaganda operates on emotional reflexes. As this experiment shows, those reflexes are often unexamined until they’re brought to the surface.

Sage Fox & Dorani hope that projects like this push audiences to think more critically about what they see and share.

“The purpose is not to tell people what to believe. It is to remind them that every image comes from somewhere, and that source matters,” they said.

Next Steps for Street Smart

As Street Smart’s platform grows, Sage Fox & Dorani plan to conduct similar experiments in different contexts. They intend to use their direct, street-level approach to highlight how people react when presented with challenging material.

The Gaza footage project is one piece of a larger mission. The team uses simple methods to shed light on complex issues. By focusing on authentic reactions, they continue to build a unique space in online media that blends cultural investigation with raw human response.

A Window into Unfiltered Thought

“We showed 20 strangers real propaganda footage from Gaza — and filmed their unfiltered reactions” is not a dramatic exposé or academic study. It is a clear, unmediated record of how individuals respond when confronted with material designed to persuade. In that restraint lies its strength.

By documenting these moments, Street Smart shows how awareness can begin with a pause. A brief space between seeing and believing.