Thorsen Side Table #6: Finally...the project is complete

The Thorsen House Side Table project is finally finished.

The goal of this Challenge was to motivate new expression of the traditional table and to find other ways to interpret the work. I have benefited from this challenge by enhancing my knowledge of the Greene & Greene style. I have read more about their work in the last few months than I have over the past ten years.

I found other ways to incorporate the Greene & Greene style in my interpretation and perspective of the Thorsen House Side Table.

I stayed fairly close to the dimensions of the project plans since I wanted to stay true to the original size. I decided to use lumber readily available in my shop. I had some 5/4 oak stock that would be perfect for the legs and enough 3/4” oak for the aprons and stretchers.

My design interpretation was to continue the cloud lift designs into the aprons by using inlays incorporated into the apron. I used walnut and cherry as the inlay material. Then I incorporated the oak, walnut and cherry into the table top itself. The table top is oak, walnut and cherry end grain with walnut being used for the breadboard ends. Walnut is used for all the pegs.

The finish is a mix of tung oil and urethane.

I came away from this project with a sense of purpose and encouragement to mix the details of Greene & Greene and incorporate into my own unique perspective into contemporary furniture making.

You can see a slide show of some of the early parts of the project and also more pictures of the finished project.

I hope you enjoy the table as much as I did in making it.

-- Fred Childs, Pasadena, CA - - - Law of the Workshop: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.