(see my Sideboard Shelves post for the other half of this dining set)

 

Woods are maple, rosewood, mahogany, cherry & zebrawood.  The design of the top includes some playing with the sight lines to create an unusual perspective effect – basically, if you are viewing it from the classic 12:00/6:00 position (or 9:00/3:00) the sight lines give the appearance that the pieces are asymmetrically placed.  But when you move an hour to the right or left the symmetry drops in.  It’s difficult to see in the photos, but the effect is created by playing with the axis on the mahogany triangle pieces and the widths of the zebra pieces that cut through the top.  I wanted the design have a subtle “problem” that would make folks take a second look, then find the resolution.

 

 The design of the base allows the inevitable holiday squeeze-in of as many chairs as possible without someone having a table leg to deal with.  It sits six people easily and will go to 10 without a problem (we did 12 once, but the elbows were a hazard).  The base pieces are two simple crossed “X” shapes with tenons through to create the feet, which creates a fantastic load bearing capability.  It will move a bit if torqued laterally, though surprisingly not as much as you’d think due to the natural leveraging of the combined shapes.  And the geometry sets up a strong vertical stability as well, to the point that it takes most of an adult’s weight pressing down on the extreme edge to get it to tip – no spilled water when the kids get bored and fidgety after dessert!  Finished with Waterlox satin and hand rubbed wax.

Launch Gallery