One of the coolest parts of working with a completely different client on every project is that each one brings a unique personality and background to both the experience and the final result. Some clients give me full control from concept design to creation, while others, like in the case of this client’s walnut table, like to be involved throughout.
These particular clients were introduced to me by one of my interior design friends. As an engineer, the husband had custom designed most of their new forever home in the mountains of southern Utah. Naturally, he had some ideas about this walnut table we were building for the home.
Working with a client who also works in the industry can be both a little scary and a lot of fun. Ultimately, it was an opportunity for us to put our minds together and come up with something truly unique. Here’s what went into designing and building a walnut table for an engineer client’s Utahn forever home.
Tying the Walnut Table Into the Rest of the Home
When building the clients’ custom forever home, they wanted something large and special for their dining room. Moving to Utah from California meant they’d be hosting family for extended periods, so they wanted a massive table to gather around so there would be no shortage of seating when their children and grandkids came to visit for the holidays.
As an engineer, the client had designed and specially crafted the railing inside their home, the gate outside, and the front door. These details were all taken into consideration when it came time to design the legs on the walnut table. We took photos of all his designs and came up with the exact detail he wanted to fit with the theme of the rest of the home.
Paying Homage to the Client’s California Roots
Because of how the clients designed their dining area, we wanted to maximize the space as much as possible. Specifically, they wanted to be able to seat two people at each head of the table.
I was able to go back to the clients’ California roots by finding a massive four-foot-wide California Claro walnut slab from a Northern California supplier, which had originally come from a farm property near Maysville. This beautiful tree was originally taken down because of a lightning strike in 2003, which damaged it heavily.
We had to take special care to stabilize a slab this wide to ensure it would stand the test of time. Because large slabs have a higher chance of twisting, it’s essential to take extra steps to ensure the pieces are as stabilized as possible.
Every woodworker will have his or her preferred stabilization technique. For this walnut table, we chose to make cuts on the bottom of the slab and route a heavier channel iron into the bottom and hidden from view.
Revealing the Final Results
We kept the clients up to date throughout the process to make sure the details matched their expectations. Making sure they approved the design of the legs was key, especially given how personalized the home was, as was figuring out the logistics of installing the walnut table in the dining room space. To make sure we were always in sync, we sent the clients photos from concept design to construction until the piece was complete and ready for installation.
As native Californians, They were so excited to have a piece of California nature in their home in the form of this grand walnut table. They loved how the piece came together and how perfectly the legs matched the railing, gate, front door, and other accents of the home. And I know they were so excited to host their family in their new forever home for years and years to come.
Contact me today to discuss the project you’ve been dreaming of and get a custom quote, plus ideas for how to make your custom furniture match the other custom elements of your home.
