Mid-century modern coffee table
A custom build. You could have one too.
Why oak? Why stained? Why not just use walnut?
For the designers and furniture aficionados… yes, I know that oak is not the first choice when it comes to building mid-century furniture. I would have loved to have built this table with walnut, but the person wanted oak, and they got oak. I would also rather have left the table it’s natural color, but they also wanted to match pre-existing furniture in their home. This person is also my big brother and we all know you can’t tell your big brother anything. Jokes aside, I am very happy with how it turned out.
Why make the legs extend beyond the table top?
I’ve had a few people ask why I made the legs extend beyond the top of the table (not by much, just 1.5 inches). Honestly, because I thought it looked cool and did not impact the structural integrity of the table. When I build something I want it to be unique. I also thought this was a cool little flair that wasn’t too distracting.
Let's talk about details
For this table I wanted it to feel light (it’s actually quite heavy, that’s oak for you). That said, I made thin tapered legs that have a 15 degree cut on the top and bottom giving it that nice mid-century modern look. I also chamfered the outside edges and rounded the insides to make them look less bulky. I also gave the skirt and the underside of the table top a chamfered edge to bring it all together.
Like what you see?
Let’s design the perfect table for you.