The Tale of the Lalibela Accent Table: A Story of Bees, Hummingbirds, and Divine Design

Greetings, world!

Today, we’re excited to share a few whimsical scenes of creative inspiration that led to the birth of our Lalibela accent table. This is, without a doubt, one of the most imaginative stories to emerge from the TFD studio—blending our lives with a handful of hummingbirds, a local beehive, a 12th-century Ethiopian king, a pair of luxurious Italian red wool robes, and a series of monolithic, rock-hewn churches.

A Functional Need Meets Creative Curiosity

A few months ago, as autumn settled in, we carved out time to prototype a new furniture piece. Whenever we bring a new design to life, there are often many decisions to make regarding style, practical use, and longevity. This new prototype was especially personal in nature—as it grew out of a simple need: every time we retreated to the living room to read or play guitar, we found ourselves holding a drink with nowhere to set it safely within reach. 

That need then sparked the idea: what if we created a table that could be functional and sing as a statement piece in our home?

The Arrival of the Hummingbirds

Just weeks before, on a completely unrelated note, Marcelles found a long forgotten glass hummingbird feeder stowed away in the back of a cabinet. Thrilled, he hung it in the elm tree next to the workshop and began refilling it each morning. 

Soon enough, we had several hummingbirds enjoying the nectar bar and eventually they got so cozy with us, they would fly into the workshop and swirl around to express their refill needs. Every time it occurred, we would stare at each other in profound awe and then hurry to support our tiny, iridescent comrades.

In Marched the Bees

Before long, our local bee population had wised up to the feeder and started to regularly enjoy the nectary goodness. One day, we noticed a collection of them had gathered on the edge of the feeder and coordinated an effort to push the glass valve aside–clearly strategizing to reach the nectar directly. Their display of teamwork blew us away. 

These daily interactions with our pollinator friends became a joyful rhythm that infused our studio with life.

Eventually, something clicked: Marcelles remembered a story from years past—about a king whose destiny was drenched in architectural mysticism and influenced by the will of the bees.

The Legend of Lalibela

Enter King Gebre Meskel Lalibela of 12th-century Ethiopia. According to legend, at the moment of his birth, a swarm of bees surrounded him without causing him any harm. His mother took this surreal event as a sign of his future power and was inspired to name him Lalibela, meaning “the bees recognize his sovereignty.” 

However, with a mighty future ahead, he was bound to attract envy and ill intent. This manifested within his older brother, who wanted the throne for himself so badly–he had the young Lalibela poisoned. That night, Lalibela fell into a death-like sleep and was transported to heaven. There, he was shown divine structures—buildings of staggering beauty and detail. 

God then gave him a second chance at life, with one condition: he must return to earth and recreate what he had witnessed.

And so he did.

Once crowned, Lalibela commissioned the construction of 11 rock-hewn churches at his capitol, each carved from single slabs of volcanic basalt. These monolithic masterpieces—timeless in their design and devotion—still stand today as places of pilgrimage despite long lives among the elements. 

The ornate details of the churches were quite a sight to behold and greatly energized our creativity around Halloween time as we shaped the prototype. 

A Desert Escape and a Halloween Tale

As October rolled in and the design began to take form, we craved a moment of seasonal celebration. Although we were swamped, we managed to sneak away one afternoon for a Halloween-inspired photoshoot in the desert. 

Years ago, Marcelles’ photography career revolved around the post production film world and he was able to acquire a few studio castoffs along the way—including a set of vibrant, Italian-made red wool robes. He had no particular plan for them at the time, but they were too beautiful to pass up. 

Over time, we've given away a few robes to friends, but the remaining sat dormant in our hall closet for years—until now.

We felt it was the perfect time to have our own fun with them and conjured up a spooky, surreal photoshoot concept: Little Red Riding Hood takes a walk through the desert.

So out west we headed with a fresh pack of instant film–ready to capture the fall desert colors.

Unexpected Visitors

When we arrived at our location, something unusual happened. As we unpacked, I began to hear a gentle buzzing near my ear. Thinking it was a fly, I brushed it off—but the buzzing intensified. Soon, we realized two bees were flying in and out of the car, buzzing with unmistakable cheer.

We were baffled. Dressed in all black, wearing no fragrances, why would they be so intrigued?

We basked in their whimsy movements for a while and then headed to our shoot location—an open desert space enveloped by rare junipers and the most theatrical Joshua trees in the entire valley. We slipped into our spooky red robes, and just as Marcelles was adjusting his camera, the buzzing returned.

Unbelievably, the two bees had followed us. Deep into the desert woodland.

We couldn’t stop laughing as they floated around our setup, becoming unexpected cast members in our shoot. Luckily, I was able to capture a photo of one resting gently on the hood of Marcelles’ robe. 

A Final Visit and a Fitting Name

Weeks later, as the finishing touches of the accent table were underway,  I was outside soaking up some sunshine and editing, when another gentle bee flew into my orbit. It danced around me, then gently landed on my finger—long enough for me to call Marcelles from the workshop to relish in the magic moment. 

By then, we had started to wonder if the original bees from the hummingbird feeder had “spread the word.” Had they marked us as allies? If so, we were deeply honored.     

Design Details with a Story to Tell

This connection, both mystical and real, brought us back to the lore of King Lalibela. When the time came to name our new table, there was only one choice.

Since the Lalibela accent table was crafted for our home, we wove together architectural elements that we both adore: a timeless French provincial profile, sweeping Art Deco curves, and a Coptic cross at its center—directly inspired by the breathtaking rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. The result is a piece that holds both function and magic, grounded in legend and guided—perhaps literally—by the wings of bees.

Thanks for reading the Lalibela accent table story. Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes looks, design lore, and creative sparks from the TFD studio.

Photo Credits

"ET Lalibela 0204 025" by A. Savin, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: 

"King Lalibela at the Airport" by A. Savin, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Source: 

"Bete Giyorgis, Lalibela" by Bernard Gagnon, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source:

Lalibela Accent Table product photos by Marcelles Murdock