Custom Fabricated Furniture
Any
Location
Living + Interiors
Project type
Design + Fabrication
Role
Floating Cherry and Steel Coffee Table
This custom-designed coffee table explores structure, balance, and material expression at the scale of furniture. Conceived as both functional object and sculptural centerpiece, the piece uses asymmetry, illusion, and craft to challenge expectations of weight and support—resulting in a table that appears to hover effortlessly within a space.
Challenge
The central challenge was to create the visual illusion of floating solid wood while maintaining structural integrity and everyday usability. The design needed to reconcile complex geometry, extreme material tapering, and precise alignment, all while allowing the wood grain to read continuously and uninterrupted across compound angles and miters.
Solution
The table is composed of two book-matched cherry wood halves, suspended in parallel with a precise 1/4-inch gap between them. Each half tapers in all directions, eliminating all 90-degree angles and thinning to just 1/4 inch at the top surface and 1 inch at the vertical edges. Below, a perforated steel magazine rack acts as both counterpoint and support, with two steel legs carrying the load through concealed stand-offs hidden beneath the wooden volumes. The result is a carefully balanced composition where structure recedes and form takes center stage.
Materials + Craft
Craftsmanship is at the heart of the piece. The cherry wood grain is not only book-matched but intentionally carried along the length of each half, wrapping seamlessly around mitered corners and flowing downward to meet the floor—an exacting exercise in material continuity. The steel base and perforated rack introduce precision and contrast, grounding the warmth of the wood with an industrial edge. Every joint, taper, and reveal is meticulously resolved. The piece can be reproduced upon request or serve as a starting point for other custom-designed furniture, each tailored to its setting and use.
