You may already know that we love what we do. We love creating, building and the process of making great spaces for our clients. Creative talent abounds at Silent Rivers – both inside and outside of work. Our team includes artists, jewelry makers, photographers, painters, writers, musicians and, of course, master woodworkers.
So the opportunity to build custom furniture for our clients is pure joy for our cabinetmakers. Challenge them to build a solid cherry table for 12? Well… that’s even better.
One Big Happy Family at One Table
We first introduced you to Mr. and Mrs. H back in June with our Design+Build Home Renovation with Addition Creates Better Gathering Spaces for the Whole Family.
The original objective for their expansive renovation was to provide more space for the family to gather and celebrate holidays and special occasions. Right about the time when we were applying the finishing touches of the renovation, our clients mentioned their desire to have their entire family at one dinner table. But the table had to be beautiful and made to fit their style and specifications. This sparked our collective imaginations into thinking about how to make this happen for the family. So a masterpiece was in the works. One that would fulfill the need for a functional “table for 12” and provide an aesthetic balance with the newly renovated area.
The overall dining table design idea came to us quite easily – we would build Mr. and Mrs. H a farm style, cherry wood table with a distressed finish and a trestle type leg structure, to seat 12 people. We’ll admit it: finding 3-inch thick, 8-inch wide, and 12-feet long solid cherry boards was challenging, but achievable.
The drawing of the table originally called for three 16-inch wide solid planks. We modified it to several smaller pieces, without sacrificing the design idea. The base was built to be so sturdy, that we did not need the extra weight and presence of the metal bracing. The tabletop simply sits on this solid base.
Working on such impressive pieces of lumber is refreshing and exciting. This image above shows Lead Artisan Tom Bloxham’s custom-made technique for planing and distressing the wood. Many repetitions back and forth are needed for perfect results.
The boards were then glued together to make one large solid cherry slab for the tabletop.
The piece was cut to the desired length, distressed and finished to match the kitchen cabinets also designed and built by Silent Rivers.
This close-up edge detail shows the mahogany splines and the small brass inlays between each board. These small details add a level of sophistication and personality to the piece.
The table base was also made of solid cherry and stained to match the tabletop.
Although not as heavy as the tabletop, the table base still required two movers and someone to guide its installation in the dining room.
Pictured above is the joint detail of the table base, made to be extra sturdy.
Five men were needed to bring the 250-pound tabletop into the client’s house and to place it in the permanent location. And muscle and careful handling were required to set the tabletop perfectly on the base.
There were mixed emotions the day we delivered this custom table to our client’s home. We know our “baby” is in a good home and will be well cared for. It is a blessing to us that the clients’ family will gather around this piece for many, many happy meals in the years to come.
From our family to your family… Enjoy!
Pictured from left: Project Coordinator Jay Reichenbacher, Lead Aritsan John Miller, Artisan Jon Curry, Lead Artisan Tom Bloxham, Artisan Alex Schlepphorst, and Production Manager Jason Anderson. Not pictured is the photographer and the table’s designer, Archtiect Teodora Shtinareva.
See other examples of our Custom Cabinets and Furniture.