And just like that, the side table I’ve been working on for the past three weeks is done.

Staying in the moment

Right now, it’s all about enjoying the finished table. We both like it. Thankfully my teenage kids haven’t noticed it yet, or they’d be slamming full glasses down on it, grinding crumbs into it and bouncing a soccer ball on it. New things usually get slightly abused and overworked the moment they enter the house, but maybe they both know this table should at least be slightly respected.

Once the four coats of finish were on it, I attached the top, pressed in the little 5mm rubber feet and brought it straight home. It went directly to its home beside our new chair in our living room, where it’s been enjoyed ever since.

Any changes?

My daughter has a tendency to want to be perfect. Receiving 99/100 on a test bugs her. Second place only leads to questions about how she could have raced faster. I’m trying to teach her that, in fact, nothing is perfect. Life isn’t about perfection, it’s more about how we try to better ourselves, even if just slightly, every day. After I finish a project, I always take a step back and think about what I would do differently if I were to make it again, so that’s what I did with this table. After all, even though I’m very pleased with it, it’s not perfect.

I like the shape of the legs, but I think I’d make them slightly narrower for a table this small. Even just 3/16″ or so narrower along their entire length would be a bit more in keeping with the size of the table.

I might make the aprons a little bit narrower, so they weren’t as visible. Reducing their width by 1/2″ at least, maybe even 3/4″. Another option would be to curve the lower edges of the three aprons, so where they meet the legs is a good 1/2″ narrower than where the aprons meet under the centre of the top.

I knew the texture I added to the aprons wouldn’t be overly visible, but I thought it might show up more than it does. I might either do away with the texture on the aprons altogether, or extend it across the entire length of the aprons. Who am I kidding? I’d obviously add more texture, as opposed to remove it.

The top is veneered with curly English sycamore, while the rest of the table is solid hard maple. The contrast between the two species is minimal. I considered using a darker veneer for the top, but thought that since it had a winter theme to it (frost, carved into the top) it will be okay, as it’s generally quite white outside in winter, unless you live in Victoria, B.C., of course. I think there’s barely enough contrast between the two species for it to work. And besides, I’m thinking of making another top for this little table, with a different theme on it. Maybe a spring theme. That would, naturally, lead to the need for a third top, with a summer theme on it, and then onto a fourth top, with yet another theme on it. I’m not sure yet, but I’m seriously considering it. I thought this table has taking a fairly long time to make, so why not stretch it out even more?

All this to say, the contrast between the sycamore and maple isn’t quite what I’d normally like in a piece with two species, but it’s only going to be less than perfect for the coldest three months of the year. The next top I make will surely be perfect.

Any idea who my daughter takes after?