Benjamin Allen, Red Oak Coffee Table (WORLD 2024)

Photos:

Jessica L Allen

Country:

United States of America

In the summer of 2022 I had a rough idea for a simple contemporary coffee table that would use similar techniques to a plant stand I was making at the time. In mid-January of this year, I came across the design in my sketchbook and began redesigning it. The one thing I couldn't settle on was what the stretcher or stretchers under the table would look like -- finally, I recalled the work of furniture maker and sculptor Dean Pulver; Pulver's work inspired the table's "doughnut" shaped stretchers. The table is built entirely with red oak and constructed with mortise and tenon joinery throughout. All of the edges both on the table base and the top are rounded over, and the corners of the top have also been rounded. This prevents someone from running their knee or leg into any sharp corners as they walk around the table. For the finish I first dyed the whole table with aniline dye before applying a white gel stain, then with polyurethane. The coffee table's dimensions are 24 1/2" x 45 1/2" x 18" (W*L*H).

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.