TL;DR Summary

A longtime supporter of New England Table Company commissioned a bold, custom coffee table after moving into her first home. The Osage Orange slab, selected for its wild character and shape, was transformed into a sculptural centerpiece that now anchors her living room — a project years in the making.

  • Commissioned by an early fan of the business after moving into a new home

  • Requested a “funky” and unique coffee table

  • Collaborated remotely to choose a bold Osage Orange slab

  • Designed for small-space living with visual lightness and high impact

  • Finished piece became a centerpiece and conversation starter

Some commissions come with a long arc — not just a design journey, but a personal one. This project started way back in the early days of my business, when I was still getting things off the ground. A woman who followed my work had become a genuine supporter, even though she didn’t have space in her condo for one of my tables. We’d stayed in touch casually over the months, trading messages and ideas — it was clear she appreciated the craft, and I always hoped we’d find the right project someday.

That opportunity came a little later, after she and her boyfriend got engaged, then married, and moved into their first home together. It was a fresh start, with space to make it their own. As they blended furniture from each of their lives, they realized they had room — and a strong desire — for something truly unique to anchor their new living room. That’s when she reached back out, ready to commission a piece that reflected their new beginning.

From the start, she knew she didn’t want a conventional coffee table. “Funky” was the word she used — she was looking for character, for something that made people pause and ask about it. I took her at her word and headed out to source some standout slabs. I texted her photos along the way — a parade of options ranging from beautiful to downright strange. It was a lot of fun. Eventually, we landed on a long slab of Osage Orange with wild curves and high contrast grain — the kind of wood that has a personality all its own.

Transforming that slab into a finished piece was all about honoring what made it special. I cleaned it up, refined the shape, and let the color and character shine. The final touch was a set of minimalist black hairpin legs to keep the top visually light and floating, without competing with the boldness of the wood. When I delivered the finished piece, she couldn’t have been happier — it was exactly the kind of statement she had imagined.

Now the table sits in their living room, right in front of the fireplace — a sculptural element and a conversation starter. It’s one of those pieces that doesn’t just fill a space, it defines it. And for me, it was a full-circle kind of project — one that started with early encouragement and turned into a meaningful collaboration years later.