What to expect with custom made furniture.
I want a custom piece of furniture...what's next?
This typically is the next question after an initial inquiry. Consumers sometimes will avoid custom furniture all around for this exact reason and trust me, I completely understand! "I don't know what type of wood I want", "What dimensions do I need?", " Do I want a metal or wood base?", "What is live edge?", "What is a river table?" "Epoxy or glass?" the list goes on and on. Although all of this can be very frustrating, it is all fairly simple! DO NOT LET THIS SWAY YOU TO A MANUFACTURER! I am here to help with every step of the way.
When it comes to getting that perfect size dining table or the perfect fit for a custom made piece of furniture it is most important to know your overall dimension. For example, lets start with a dining table. The rule of thumb for a dining table to be functionable is a minimum of four to six inches between each guest. This will allow for a comfortable amount of elbow room when dining. Another important factor is how much space to leave around the dining table? the most common answer is 36". This dimension leaves an adequate amount of space for you and you guest to access their dining seat with ease. Now I do understand that not all Live Edge tables are symmetrical so there is always a little wiggle room within those dimensions.
Ok, now that you have figured out your (rough) dimensions lets talk about your wood species. There are many, many different types of wood available and we could be on this subject for days (scroll down to see my favorite species). But lets start with the basics. Dark or light? Decipher the style of table that would fit within your interior design. Modern? Rustic? Contemporary? These are all great things to consider when thinking of a custom piece of furniture or dining table.
So lets talk some of my favorite options. If you are wanting a darker toned Live Edge Table, River table, or dimensional table an industry favorite to work with is always Walnut. Being a domestic tree, Black Walnut, Bastogne Walnut, and Claro are always guaranteed to be a natural beauty. This very dense wood typically will have a reddish or dark brown undertone with very highlighted grain patterns throughout. Some lighter pattern, some darker. Although a little higher priced, you are guaranteed a finished product that is not only very durable, but will not disappoint aesthetically. Another darker route to go, as well as two of my personal favorite types of wood to work with are from the Central and South America are called Guanacaste (a.k.a Parota) and Monkeypod. These beautiful Exotic trees have some of the most unique figure and can be sourced up to 30 feet long in one single live edge slab! Not only do they make a great choice for large, wide dining tables, they make a great choice for conference tables as well! These beautiful exotic hardwoods make for a statement piece that will give every guest in your home or business a "wow" experience.
Now that we have covered some of the darker options lets go to the lighter spectrum. One of my all time favorites to work with and make for GREAT river tables is Maple. These highly figured slabs will have reddish to yellow tones and typically have some amazing figure throughout. They include great features that include Blistering, Quilting, and Spalting. Not only do they make a great single slab live edge table, their heavy figured live edge make for very superb river table.
Are you a little more traditional? Do not want a live edge table? a river table? or even an epoxy table? "I Just want a traditional table!" DO NOT FRET! I can make the classic tables out of dimensional Walnut, Maple, Hickory and many, many others such as white oak or ash.
Finally, last but not least, your table base. Did you know Citizen Wood Company shares a commercial space with his metal fabricator? THATS RIGHT! I have our metal forger on site to help with your design! Nickel Handcrafted custom makes our bases and metal designs right on site so there are many many options to choose from. What's even more impressive is our friends at Nickel handcrafted have technology to show you what your base or metal build will look like even prior to manufacturing! WHOA! Everything you are wanting is kept in one space when customizing your piece of furniture.
Now I know this doesn't cover absolutely every question you may have but my hopes here is to help you, the consumer make the next step in supporting a small local business and purchase a high quality, handmade, dining table, river table, epoxy table or a piece of custom furniture that will last many many years to come. Thanks for reading!
Live Edge Tables, River Tables, Dimensional and Round tables, Epoxy Tables and more!
Walnut Species
Bastogne Walnut
Heartwood colors can vary from lighter golden yellow to reddish brown, sometimes with darker brown to nearly black streaks. Paler sapwood isn’t always sharly demarcated from the heartwood. Curly or rippled grain is also seen on some sections.
(information from wood-database.com)
Black Walnut Chevron Table
Heartwood can range from a lighter pale brown to a dark chocolate brown with darker brown streaks. Color can sometimes have a grey, purple, or reddish cast. Sapwood is pale yellow-gray to nearly white. Figured grain patterns such as curl, crotch, and burl are also seen.
(information from wood-database.com)
Claro Walnut River Table
Heartwood can range from a lighter pale brown to a dark chocolate brown with darker brown streaks. Color can sometimes have a gray, purple, or reddish cast. Sapwood is nearly white. Wood from orchard trees that have been grafted with English Walnut may have a colorful/streaked appearance near the graft, which is sometimes referred to as “marbled Claro Walnut.” Claro Walnu
Maple Species
Maple Burl River Table
color ranges from nearly white, to an off-white cream color, sometimes with a reddish or golden hue. The heartwood tends to be a darker reddish brown. Bigleaf maple is known for its quilted/blistered grain patterns.
(information from wood-database.com)
Oval Big Leaf Maple Burl Table
Maple Burl River Table
color ranges from nearly white, to an off-white cream color, sometimes with a reddish or golden hue. The heartwood tends to be a darker reddish brown. Bigleaf maple is known for its quilted/blistered grain patterns.
(information from wood-database.com)
Spalted Maple River Table
Spalting is simply a fungal discoloration of wood, and can be found on a wide range of wood species and genera. It is found in wood that has begun initial stages of decay, and is then subsequently dried (preventing further decay). The partial decay, called spalting, can give the wood dark contrasting lines and streaks where fungus has begun to attack the wood. If the wood
Exotic Slabs
12' Monkeypod Dining Table
Color tends to be a golden to dark brown, sometimes with darker streaks. Sapwood is usually thin and yellow/white, clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Monkeypod is sometimes seen with highly figured curly or wild grain patterns
(information from wood-database.com)
Mexico Guanacaste (Parota)
Heartwood is light to medium brown, sometimes with a reddish hue. Darker streaks of brown are sometimes present. Sapwood is pale yellow and is clearly demarcated from the heartwood.
(information from wood-database.com)
Costa Rican Guanacaste (Parota)
Heartwood is light to medium brown, sometimes with a reddish hue. Darker streaks of brown are sometimes present. Sapwood is pale yellow and is clearly demarcated from the heartwood.
(information from wood-database.com)
Other Wood Options
White Ash Gaming Table
The heartwood is a light to medium brown color. Sapwood can be very wide, and tends to be a beige or light brown; not always clearly or sharply demarcated from heartwood.
(information from wood-database.com)
Shou Sugi Ban White Ash Round Table
Shou Sugi Ban (or Yakisugi) is an ancient Japanese exterior siding technique that preserves wood by charring it with fire. This environmentally friendly way to preserve timber not only gives a waterproof finish, but makes for one cool jet black piece of furniture!
Planked Walnut Dining table with matching waterfall stool set.