CUSTOM COFFEE TABLE – LIVE EDGE – WALNUT & TUBE STEEL – ORANGEVILLE
Background
This family was introduced to Aether through friends and approached us with a desire for a coffee table for their living room. Aether had purchased some rough lumber for another project and two off-cut pieces remained in the shop. The clients saw the pieces and wanted them used based on the grain and book matched pattern that existed. Their desire to use these pieces presented challenges in that on their own they were different dimensions, didn’t naturally go together to form a table and required a clever design solution to make it work.
To further complicate the project the client had no input in terms of design nor wanted to participate in the process but rather gave us the responsibility to not only come with a solution but to create a beautiful piece that would match their personalities and décor.
This interaction was really unique in that they placed their trust in us and only wanted to see the finished piece, they didn’t want updates or design clues. This is where we thrive!
Inspiration
‘I love the look of the grain in those pieces, we have to make a table out of them!’ The client fell in love with the flare and curl around a knot at one end of the pieces.
We love our table so much, it expresses our personalities and matches our aesthetic desires perfectly. It’s like our home was designed around the table’. Our trust in Aether was well founded’
Our Materials
Top, Wood – made from two different width pieces of live edge Canadian walnut.
Top, Metal – the lumber pieces are separated by ½” metal perf powder coated gloss black.
End Frame – made using 4” tube metal and 2-1/2” L channel.
Legs & Feet – made from 2” tube metal with feet welded in place to appear on a 45° relative to the legs adding visual interest and function.
Our Process
The design for this table took more time to develop than to execute. We were asked to use two different widths of lumber which by themselves didn’t form a usable table. The idea of using perf metal to complete the top was driven by the personalities of the clients and the utilitarian way in which various features were used in their home.
Given the unique interaction in this project we felt tremendous responsibility to provide an interesting design solution. As the piece started to come together we decided to construct a table that wouldn’t use standard methods to fasten the top to the legs and feet. We developed a method to ‘trap’ the top at either end which creates an open feel and makes the top appear to float.
The team at Aether adopted this piece as their own and when complete didn’t want to relinquish ownership. It was a real challenge with the best part being the client reaction when they finally saw it complete. This is why we love what we do!
