The Dining Table

This table was designed and built for a local couple.  The owners were interested in a table that could last a lifetime and comfortably seat eight. 

Both the customers and I saw walnut as the only proper wood for such an awesome space, especially with the whites of the walls and the greens of the plants.  This design was based on my desire to create something that had four simple legs at each corner to maximize seating, while also having something entirely different… and beautiful. 

The customers were interested in live edge.  I joined three hand selected walnut slabs and had the best sides shown with the chamfer down to maximize table space and also create a sort of hourglass shape between the table top and the legs.  To ensure there was no imbalance, I chamfered the ends of the tables to match the natural chamfer of the live edge on the sides. 

The top needed the work that many big slabs need: cracks in the wood needed to be joined to protect against future splitting and knots needed to be attended to.  I chose to fill the voids of the knots with black epoxy.  The ‘checks’ (or splits / cracks) in the wood are generally joined with a bowtie, but I wanted something with a little more.  I decided on an X shape instead (as can be seen in the top down photos of the top).  I thought it was fitting that an X shape be used as the legs also create an X when seen from above. 

The legs were made in two pieces.  Each piece has two legs and they cross in the middle underneath the table.  Each one of those pieces is made of three pieces of wood.  I really enjoy these legs.  The contrast at the joints are endlessly fun to view.  I added an internal steel piece to ensure that the legs would have more than enough support to last many lifetimes.