Industry Conference Table

When my client commissioned this piece, I was deeply consumed by the Japanese tea ceremony. I found the humble beginnings of the tea ceremony even more enchanting than my own experiences. A brief summary - temporary natural structures, raw imperfect vessels, a lack of ornament, and the imperial court codifying the ceremony for their aesthetic enjoyment.

I saw the process of doing business a ritual and the participants part of the ceremony gathered around and interacting with the conference table. So much more than a flat surface with data and power outlets, the Industry Table features a floating “tea tray” in patinated brass with each element of the business deal on display in customized trays.

The base features interlocking brass and Walnut legs which support a bookmatched 16 foot California Walnut top.

Corset Table No.1 - Live Edge California Claro Walnut Dining Table with Glass

Our clients, in Chicago, catapulted us away from our comfort zone by choosing a slab with a significantly decayed live edge.  We had total freedom to design a solution that would make the live edge functional.  Photos: Sean Miller

Attacked and decayed by fungus, the live edge was left rotten and "punky", a consistency similar to styrafoam.  It also created a beautiful canyon like texture that we wanted to maintain and highlight.

We chose to add a recessed, hand cut bronze glass sheet, supported by two brass "corsets" that emerge from within the slab to the decayed live edge.

The space between the glass and decayed live edge became a stunning space of textured reflections.

The brass "corsets" can be inlaid with two different orientations.  For those who prefer the corset to have more of a presence, here is the other side.