The starting point for this commission was the familiar form of a traditional butcher’s block: strong, substantial, and reassuringly simple.

Our client wanted us to take that inspiration and create something much more individual, a bespoke oak table that would bring warmth and character to their London home while remaining sympathetic to its surroundings.

Designing a Substantial Table with a Lighter Fee

The table was designed to sit between two large windows, so careful consideration had to be given to its visual weight.

Although the butcher’s-block inspiration called for strength and solidity, we did not want the finished piece to obstruct the natural light or feel too heavy within the room.

Sculpted openings were therefore created through the central column and beneath the tabletop, these allow light to travel through the table, giving its substantial form a lighter and more architectural appearance.

The openings beneath the top also serve a practical purpose, providing a discreet and convenient place to store table mats

Helping Our Client Visualise the Design

Commissioning a completely original piece of furniture can require a little imagination, particularly when nothing identical already exists.

Before beginning full-size manufacture, we created a scale model of the table, this allowed our client to see its proportions, form, and distinctive openings, helping them to visualise exactly what they were commissioning.

The model also gave us an opportunity to carefully assess the balance of the design before selecting the timber and beginning work on the finished piece.

Oak and Burr Oak Detailing

Chunky burr oak cubes were incorporated into the corners of both the tabletop and base, bringing depth and contrast to the natural oak.

Burr oak is prized for its wonderfully intricate grain, movement, and individuality, no two sections are ever quite the same, making it especially suited to bespoke furniture designed to become a focal point within a room.

A natural oil finish was chosen to enrich the oak without disguising its character, the oil brings out the colour, texture and extraordinary figuring within the burrs while allowing the timber to retain its honest, tactile quality.

Handcrafted in Worcestershire for a London Home

Every element of the table was designed and handcrafted in our Worcestershire cabinetmaking workshop, combining traditional furniture-making skills with thoughtful, practical design.

The completed bespoke burr oak table now sits proudly between the windows of our client’s London home, a distinctive piece inspired by tradition but designed entirely for its setting and the people who use it.