Designing a custom table

The first step is really quite simple: determining the table’s purpose. Is this the showstopper dining table that needs to seat fourteen for holidays and dinner parties, or is it the spot where four people will eat breakfast, perhaps not even all together, in a cozy kitchen nook? Something in between? Once we know the intention for the table, we can allow that information to drive the decisions that follow. There are some bases we wouldn’t recommend for a banquette, and some slabs that we wouldn’t suggest for a live-edge dining table, and knowing how a piece will be used lets us bring those ideas to the project.

Pick the size of your custom table

Closely related is the question of size. Here at Cannon Hill, we have rules of thumb that determine the ideal size to seat a given number of people, the minimum clearance for a high- or low-traffic area, the height of a table and the inset of a base, among many others. The ideal size for any custom furniture will depend on the space where it’s going, and the way the room is used. We’ll bring our expertise to size each piece perfectly for your home. It may seem obvious, but knowing the size of a table is essential to our material search, because without that information it’s impossible to select material that works efficiently for the project, or even to narrow the possibilities to a manageable number.

Choose a material for your custom table

On that point, the next step is choosing what sort of material a table will be made from. We only build solid hardwood tables from premium-grade lumber, but there are a great many items in that category. There are live-edge slabs, milled boards, and reclaimed lumber. Each of these material types is equally functional, durable, and beautiful, but which one you choose depends on your taste and your decor.

Because we build everything to suit the particular needs of each individual client – and even the particular needs of each individual client’s specific space – there’s no discrete “house style” here at Cannon Hill. We design genuinely bespoke furniture, which means that we make tables that suit our clients’ visions, not our own. Of course, we have certain design elements we believe in and that will find their way into anything we build, but subtly, as a matter of background. We’re equally at home making contemporary furniture as deeply traditional styles, and just as comfortable building farmhouse tables as sleek, modern ones.

Get started on your custom table with Cannon Hill

Ultimately, we’re here to facilitate your vision, even if that vision isn’t entirely clear yet. We’ll help you refine, cutting away what doesn’t belong and adding in what ought to be there. We have the experience and the expertise to ensure that you’ll be thrilled with your custom table, as you should be. After all, the process of designing furniture should be fun, satisfying, and rewarding. It’s why we do what we do.