Built to last

About 30 years ago I built this inlaid coffee table for my own house when we lived on long Island. It was my first attempt at a “real” piece of furniture, and I have to say it’s held up pretty well. I had seen a picture of a hallway table in a trade magazine and was very impressed by the woodworker’s use of natural wood and black lacquered edges. I decided to try something similar, and this is what I came up with. My version for a coffee table is made from maple plywood with solid maple edging. I black lacquered the edges and the cabriole legs and I inlayed a black and white inlay into the top. It required very accurate layout and was definitely a “measure twice, cut once” scenario. While the table has no real monetary value, it is dear to me and has been well loved and cared for through the years. This piece was definitely built to last, and I learned a lot during the construction/finishing process. I look forward to many more years of woodworking and the learning curve that it entails.