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Project Name: Melissa Table

Location: USA

Date Completed: February, 2018

 

This table was a bespoke commission for an art gallery, functioning both as a desk and a dining table. 1115 mm D x 865 mm H. American White Oak. Pickled White.

The commission was for a table for an art gallery office, whose primary function was a desk for the gallery director. Moreover, the table had to do additional double duty as a dining table, when the client would organise more intimate private events at the gallery, such as hosting artists and clients. Being both a desk and a dining table, it was therefore necessary to have hidden drawers. Moreover, the client specified that the entire table be solid wood as they do not like the look of veneer. As solid wood has seasonal movement this presented all sorts of challenges when designing the structure of the table. As solid wood tends to expand and contract, having moving elements in a piece of solid wood furniture can potentially cause issues such as drawer jams or warped surfaces.

Additionally, as the client is quite tall, she requested that the table have unusually long legs. Given the narrow access to the gallery, there was therefore no way to get the table inside the space without it having detachable legs. Since the client detested the look of any cross support or any visible hardware whatsoever, the legs had to also be very strong and stiff. The legs are made from 2 boards of quartered white oak joined at an angle of 50 degrees to make a V-shaped profile.

The detachable legs utilise a unique angled tongue and groove joint utilising a standard worktop connector bolt. The angle pulls the leg into and up towards the table top locking it in place. For the drawer to function, we had to recess the bolt inside the groove for the drawer slide. This joint was custom designed by Bernardo Guillermo, and is the solution to having the table feature detachable legs as well as drawers.