SYD – Fine Furniture/Design

Tag: bespoke

  • Carter Table

    Carter Table

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    Tim Cuppett Architects approached me with creating this table for a hill-country retreat they were creating for their client. The design process came about as a collaboration with them.

    They needed a kitchen table for everyday use that’s separate from the big dining room table. This would be the table they would use the most often for daily use- casual eating, conversations, homework, coffee drinking, etc. In other words, it had to be made to withstand the daily toil, but still be elegant. Space was limited, so the round table was a natural choice.

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    The design was driven from the chair backs of the client’s family heirloom dining chairs. The chair had a queen anne style back, so we took that form and transformed it into the pedestal base. Because we didn’t want to see wood lamination joint lines as we cut the extreme curves, we glued up the base in a coopering technique. The ash wood was selected to get the straightest grain possible to keep the lines flowing smoothly.

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    The top is actually a thick top, but we cut a large bevel around the perimeter to create a knife edge to keep the top visually light. It also allows for more view of the pedestal base. There is a metal framework inlayed into the underside of the top to keep everything flat and allows for a strong connection to the base.

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    For a narrow pedestal base like this, the footing is always an issue. Most traditional pedestal bases have a large wooden structure (usually in a claw foot detail) that would have destroyed the whole look, so we went for a much cleaner and more modern look by adding a steel plate as the feet. Creating a thin profile for the bottom really highlights the shape of the pedestal without sacrificing structural integrity or making a tipsy table.

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    The table was finished in white oil that kept the wood looking as natural as possible.

  • Constantin Table

    Constantin Table

    Targu Jiu Table

    This project was a collaboration piece with Tim Cuppett Architects here in Austin, Texas. They approached me looking to create an elegant round pedestal table for their client’s home they had been building. They wanted something modern and simple, but with enough details to make it a special central piece for their dining area.

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    We bounced ideas off of each other, and we finally came to this design inspired by Brancusi’s Endless Column in Targu Jiu. There are two tapered cones made with a coopering technique (like the oak barrels for wines and bourbons) that are mirrored and stack on top of each other. Those cones are then sandwiched by two round plate steels that have a long threaded rod connecting the two.

    The table is made out of American Walnut.

    The photography was taken by Whit Preston.

  • Fuller Desk – Rosewood

    Fuller Desk – Rosewood

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    This client was referred to me from another client of mine that I had made a game table for. They are long time friends who enjoys playing board games with each other so I was happy to hear that my preferred method of marketing ‘word of mouth’ is still working.

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    This client wanted a nice desk for his home office that he could either use as a computer desk or to have a meeting at. He wanted something elegant that looks beautiful in the center of a room. His office is on the small side, so we needed to get the size just right. Too big and it would feel claustrophobic in the room. Too small, and it would look like a child’s desk and wouldn’t be too functional. To make sure we get this right, I made a plywood template to place in the room to make sure it was just right before we finalized the designs.

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    Because the desk is in the center of the room, I wanted my client to be able to freely walk around the desk and not risk kicking the legs of the desk as he walked by. For that reason, I brought the legs in from the corner and tied everything together with low rails. The rails taper up so its wider towards the center. The legs are just straight round since any turned detail would take away from the design instead of adding value. 

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    For the wood, we chose rosewood. Rosewood is a gorgeous wood that has a lot of depth and ages beautifully. The desk top is veneered (because its not a good idea to make a design like this in solid wood due to expansion and contraction) with the grain following from the top down to the sides. The front of the desk flows straight through the drawer front to create one cohesive look. The drawer knob is just a simple design made of bronze. 

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    There is a removable platform to elevate the computer monitor as well as a way to hide wiring. There is one leg that is hollow so a power cord could be snaked up to fuel a small electrical outlet so it’s easy to plug things in and out.

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