"Okapi!" Entry Hall Table
This special piece, loosely based on the famous Gamble house entry hall table, is built around the rare, dense piece of genuine Honduran mahogany used for the tabletop and legs. Mahogany this beautiful is rare now. The secondary paneling is typical of the plantation grown Honduran mahogany that one finds today (old growth mahogany is import banned). The drawer and shelf are birds eye maple veneer on hard maple. The black accents are African wenge and the white stripes are hard maple. I built this with the attention to detail I would use for my own collection. Full mortise and tenon construction. The tabletop and shelf are floated with tabletop clips. The breadboard ends float on their tenons, held on only by hidden dowels. The finish is Watco Natural Danish Oil (twice wet-sanded on tabletop, shelf and drawer front) and Watco Satin wax. Sometimes I wish the client would back out of the deal:). Hard to imagine a room or house in which this would look poorly.
Finish
- white
- black
Material
- maple
- oak
Type
- wood
Material
- mahogany
Meet the Maker
Jonathan Walkey
Jonathan Walkey Furniture Maker
Jonathan Walkey is retired professional furniture maker who now makes selected pieces for discriminating clients. I am a one man studio, specializing in decorative arts and crafts, mid-century, Greene & Green, etc. furniture. my own personal style generally includes contrasting hardwoods with beautiful grains and hand worked inlays. In between commissions I simultaneously work on personal studio furniture projects.
I was raised in Lincoln Massachusetts where my father was the director of the DeCordova Museum of modern art. My mother worked as an expert in fine crafts and furniture . I attended many arts and crafts classes and summer art camps at the Museum. I was trained as a silversmith at age 11 and at age 12 built a 10 foot kayak made of wood and canvas. I was a U.S. Navy trained aviation mechanic and earned my living for 15 years as a master mechanic, working mainly on motorcycles. I am also a former carpenter, criminal appellate attorney, credentialed teacher, professional writer, and painter.
Today I apply my talents and interests to building fine arts and craft furniture. My lifelong continuing education combines training of the mind with training of the hands. What you buy from Jonathan is fine art as well as heirloom quality furniture built to last many lifetimes. These qualities are reflected in the cost of my work, neither of which should ever be compared with that of commercial furniture.
Customer Reviews
Greg Szczepanski
Dec 6, 2019It was my first custom order and from the beginning I had a good vibes about it. Jonathan provided detailed description and progress in making.. I am very happy with overall experience. Final product - walnut table base - is simply gorgeous. Thank you!
Diane Roerig
Aug 9, 2019I can't say enough positive things about Jonathan Walkey. He executed the design perfectly and in my opinion, it turned out better than the inspiration photo I provided. The price was very fair, the completion date was communicated without issue, and the final product is absolutely beautiful. Highly recommend to anyone that wants to invest in a timeless, unique piece of furniture that will last a lifetime. Thank you Jonathan!
Ania Zownir
Jul 14, 2019Outstanding work and quality. Love my new desk!
Carrie Simpson
Jun 25, 2019Thank you for the beautiful custom table! The 72" "Teepee" table base was a perfect fit in our client's home. We just installed last week and could not be happier! Beautiful piece and great customer service!
Jordan Stolper
May 11, 2019Jonathan is a master. The desk he made for us is absolutely stunning. We are thrilled beyond words with the quality and finish. I expect to have this desk for years to come. Delivery was seamless. He ran a little behind schedule but communicated well along the way. It was worth the wait. Thanks Jonathan!
