It is not an exaggeration to say this is the only table like this in existence. It is the brain child of the brilliant Julie, who commissioned me to make the tiles, and Lamar Schlabach (owner of the Village Craftsman in Atwood, IL) to make the table itself. The most unusual thing about this table is that the tiles are not permanently affixed to the top, they just slot in!
Julie said that Lamar was initially somewhat skeptical about the design, but found a way to make it work beautifully. And the really beautiful thing is that the tiles can be changed out at will! Julie has ordered a few more tiles (including the new beaver design) so she can mix things up whenever the mood strikes. She could even switch out all my tiles for tiles from another tile maker, though hope she won't do that! But it is a nice option to have. Here is another photo of the table, still in the wood shop:
The craftsmanship here is clearly impeccable. This a wonderful example of contemporary Arts and Crafts style furniture. The top looks like a giant frame for the tiles:
Thank you so much for the photos, Julie and Lamar! I have never seen anything quite like this before, and it makes me very happy to see how well this turned out. I am proud to have played a small part in this three way collaborative effort. It makes me very pleased to see this one of a kind piece in its lovely new home.
