Design a Week – 11/52

For this entry in my furniture design odyssey, I present a coffee table and an alteration I think I like better than the original:

The idea for this table came to me as I was trying to fall asleep one night. It was actually the impetus for me keeping a notepad and pencil on my nightstand. Both drawings have an overhead and 3D perspective; the third object is a cross-section of the sides where they intersect the shelves.  The top design was originally conceived as a light fixture. Instead of the light-toned wood, you would use a translucent material to allow the light to pass from several bulbs. Both designs would work this way, just adjusting the scale. I like the idea of stringing together three of the square designs, about 12″x8″ each, connected with two or three dowels between them - to hang over either a dining room table or a billiards table.

The top sketch I think works better as a light fixture, but the round design I love as a coffee table. I think it is inviting as a table you put drinks on, because of the waist-level shelves that square off the table.  Now, I admit that my 3D drawing skills aren’t the greatest – especially when the lines aren’t square.  Because of this, the 3D drawing of the round table seems far more squaty than I truly envision it. Either the shelf edges are thicker or the whole piece is shorter, but there is something just off with it. On the bright side, I’m feeling far more confident in my 3D drawings that are straight lines, especially when those lines meet at right angles.

I know I’m far behind pace, but rest assured I have several ideas in the queue – I just need to make time to flesh them out on paper. Thanks for sticking with me through this!