Keller Table
Unsteamed Black Walnut
8’-0” long x 3’-6” wide x 2’-6” tall
Seats 8-10 comfortably
The objective with this commission was to build a large dining table suitable for entertaining, yet to keep the table as light and elegant as possible to complement a mid-century aesthetic. As I grappled with how to design a large yet visually light table, I happened to stumble upon an image of George Nakashima’s 3 legged “Mira Chair”. A lightbulb went on and I quickly sketched out a design for a splayed 6 legged table.
The top of the table is comprised of three matched walnut planks with stunning grain and color. I used hand planes to cut a large bevel on the underside of the top and a soft bullnose along the edge to further lighten the table’s appearance.
Straight grained stock for the legs and stretchers was carefully selected to ensure the necessary strength for the slender tapered profiles. The stretchers are tenoned into the legs and the legs are attached to the top with tapered thru wedged tenons. The sub-top provides tremendous stiffness and stability to the table while remaining inconspicuous.