Coastal Cottage Coffee Table

The owners of a large beach rental house came to us with a request to build an oversize coffee table for the living area that would be stylish and yet support the rigors of a rental property. Being a beach community, they asked for a weathered whitewashed look and modern lines, so we chose a gorgeous hard maple that is a solid choice for durability and takes stain well. Finding weathered, appropriately sized lumber was not practical, so a gray stain was applied, and we layered a white stain over that to give the finish depth and achieve the desired effect. The scale and need to withstand heavy use dictated the legs to be three inches thick, which balanced out nicely with the larger than standard dimensions of the table. We joked with the owners that it could be used as a dance platform when the renters have had a few too many rum runners, and to our amusement, we received a video from the owner himself dancing on the table. Careful consideration of scale, design, desired ascetic, and durability allowed us to knock this project out of the park for the client.