The soul of a tree

With the structure and space organisation of the home figured out, we had started visualising what furniture we would need and what it should look like. We had more or less zeroed in on having hard wood (mostly teak) furniture with with subtle accents of rattan. I also liked the idea of having a touch of live edge wood in the home.

Choices, choices !

However, I found myself grappling with one particular choice: the design of the center table for our family room. The design team had shared multiple options.

They had clean lines, a modern design and presumably excellent craftmanship - however no single table stood out. I realised that what I was looking for was a table which was both utilitarian and at the same time a unique conversation piece. With this clarity, I browsed through design catalogs on the internet to look for a table that appeared to meet my expectations.

George Nakashima "Slab Table" 1959 English walnut; sold in auction for US$30,240

And that's how I came across the work of George Nakashima (1905-1990) - a renowned Japanese-American woodworker and furniture designer. His work emphasised natural materials, traditional techniques, and a deep reverence for the individuality of each piece of wood. One of his signature designs is the Nakashima table, which often features a wooden slab for the tabletop, supported by simple yet elegant base structures.

What sets Nakashima's work apart is his philosophy of "the soul of a tree." He believed that each tree had a story to tell through its growth rings, knots, and blemishes. Nakashima's design process respected and highlighted these characteristics, resulting in furniture pieces that are both functional and works of art. He often used butterfly joints, a traditional Japanese technique, to stabilize cracks and emphasize the uniqueness of the wood.

Inspired by this design, I shared it with the team. On a visit to our Indonesian wood worker's factory, I spent time in his yard selecting slabs of teak to be the top of my centre table.

The 'two plank' teak table

Since I wanted a wide table, I picked two teak planks that would together be the table top. I chose them for their shape, the grain and the knots. For the table's base, I collaborated with the carpenter to fashion a V-shaped support that also offered space for storing magazines. A secondary support attached to the V completed the foundation of the table.

The process of picking the teak planks and designing the table was an interesting experience - I now have a table with a soul and a back story !

...Field of dreams

...Napping through history