A Natural Live Edge Coffee Table

“Beautiful Survivor”

We designed this table to be highly functional in any interior design settings, but its combination of contemporary angular monolithic bases with a fiery free form live edge slab, lends itself to an wide open bright modern living room adorned with natural stone and wood.

One of a Kind

Materials:

Solid American highly figured Coastal Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), which is over 1,000 year old, FSA Certified Baltic Birch veneer core plywood, Copper leaf, moderately low VOC clear coating for the bases and a modified natural resin oil varnish for the top.

Construction:

The table is constructed with traditional hand joinery including mortice and tenons, splines, and glue blocks. The table is meticulously constructed to ensure that it will stand the test of time and perform flawlessly to become a cherished heirloom.

Design Philosophy:

We designed this table to be highly functional in any interior design setting, but its combination of contemporary angular monolithic bases with a fiery free form live edge slab, lends itself to an wide open bright modern living room adorned with natural stone and wood.

The Story:

I purchased this slab at an auction site unseen and not knowing exactly what species of wood it actually was. Once I received the slab, I took a wood sample and sent it to a lab for micro-analysis to determine scientifically what species it was. As it turned out, I was highly surprised to find out it was American Redwood (Sequioideae).Not only that, but this piece of redwood is over one thousand years old based on our mathematical calculations and it was in a forest fire, hence the title “Beautiful Survivor”. I then test sanded the upper surface to reveal the highly mottled figure and was simply awe struck with the sheer natural beauty of this slab. As I stared at this magnificent slab, I was taken back to my early years in art school and remembered some of George Nakashima’s philosophy that a furniture maker needs to be respectful and design sensitive of what nature has provided him and create a piece of furniture that allows this natural beauty to come forth. By leaving the slab in its natural shape except for one end and creating these two monolithic bases as support structures, I achieved the contrast between the man made machined surfaces and the natural free flowing organic surfaces. The addition of the copper leaf also added to the contrast of man made angular metal surfaces verses natures natural beauty in the wood surfaces.

Symbolism and Meaning:

Redwood is symbolic wisdom, longevity, vitality, wellness, communication, and safety. Redwoods encourage personnel growth, creating community, and the searching of one’s soul. Copper has had many uses throughout history that include the stimulation of initiative, optimism, diplomacy, and independence. Copper is said to provide "good luck", especially in the recovery of property. Copper can conduct electrical impulses and magnify the energy transfer, from a healer to the subject of the healing. Copper activates and opens the base and sacral chakras, advancing and stabilizing the energies of intuition, sexuality, desire, and vitality. Copper has been used to stabilize and to balance the flow of blood within the body; helping to increase circulatory functions when necessary.