In a case like this one, that all begins with the layout of the room and the elements within it. Here, the essential elements are the curved bench tucked into a rounded window bay. Our clients wanted to maximize seating at the bench without a table taking up the whole corner of the room. You can see the CAD drawings develop as we went back and forth, figuring out the best ways to achieve the best balance of table space and room flow.

We offer site visits that both allow us to get measurements in a room and to test out templates. When we land on a template that fits the space well, we’ll take it back to our workshop so that it can be exactly duplicated on the final table. Often, we’ll make more than one trip to ensure that the template we’re using has exactly the right fit before we start to actually build, and it’s always worth the time spent.

Because the bench was pre-existing, it created certain inviolable conditions for the table that would complement it. The bench is actually slightly higher than standard bench height, which means that a standard-height table would be too low for anyone sitting on the bench. Naturally, then, we’ll build the table to an appropriately taller dimension than normal. But, what if our clients move, and want to bring the table with them? It doesn’t make sense to have an abnormally tall table in all conditions, only when conditions call for it. So rather than build a tall table base, we built a standard-height one, and created removable risers that elevated the top. These risers will allow the table to “shrink” to standard height if it ever moves to a space that doesn’t have the same conditions.

We always say that we want our tables to last for generations, and that refers to more  than the construction techniques. It’s about thinking ahead, planning, and taking time. We’re proud of that process, and we take it seriously. It is, after all, the true core of custom.