Shadowtables

When I was a kid, I had a train set in my bedroom. It was a small HO scale train, complete with one farm, one house, a fruit stand, and some miscellaneous people and other structures. Like most kids at that age, my favorite part was running the rain at full speed through a handful of hapless pedestrians! Sick as that may have been, I always said that when I was older, I would have an entire room in my home dedicated to my train sets. Of course, as we get older, such things are not really affordable, never mind practical. But, as an adult, I still wanted to fulfill the dream of my thirteen year old self.

It was around 2010 when I really thought about that train set again. After much thought, I decided I would take a piece of my existing furniture, cut a hole out of the top, install four walls and a bottom, and cover it with glass. And inside, I would fulfill (at least partially) my childhood dream. However, I was not about to cut into my dining room table. So instead, I went to a yard sale, and bought an old coffee table. I found an out-of-work construction worker and had him build me the wooden sides and bottom. For my first project, I was going to experiment and build a small replica of the world famous Pebble Beach Golf Course. And thus, Shadowtables was born.

I have been high-fived and praised repeatedly for my most ambitious move just last year. I left my full time corporate job to pursue my business full time. Folks tell me it was very brave, but I think there is a fine line between courage and stupidity. The jury is still deliberating as to which side of that line I am on.

The goal of Shadowtables is to provide a free consultation with anybody who has found my work to be interesting, and unique. I want to learn from each person everything that I can about them. Maybe it is family, religion, film, television, music, science fiction, art, sports, pets, or something else. I want to brainstorm with them and discuss ideas and begin to design (in my head at least) what table theme would best suit them. Think of it like a tattoo. While some of us have a few drinks and wake up the next morning with ink, most of us think the process through very carefully, ensuring that what we decide on will not be regretted years later. However, unlike a tattoo, you don’t have to come to me with your preconceived idea. I will help you discover what it is that you might want. An example of this, is when my friend and I recently met to discuss his table. I learned through him that he was inspired every morning by large artistic Chinese symbols that adorned his bedroom walls. His favorite symbol, is the symbol of “Strength”. I also learned that he loved my table, “Infinity”. After some brainstorming, I came back to him with my idea, which he loves, and is currently under construction. “Smashed” is going to be a table with an optical illusion. A mirror on the bottom, a one-way mirror on the top, with lights in the middle. This will give the illusion of a bottomless table. However, I am also using a CNC router to cut the Chinese symbol of “Strength” out of wood, and will place that inside the table with lights. The top mirror has been shattered, and each piece will be carefully assembled. The final product will have lights, and the symbol of “Strength” actually breaking through the mirror above it! I am very excited about sharing this table once it is complete.

EVERY table that is custom-made, is completely custom built. The size, style, dimensions, and type of wood will be up to you. The color, whether it is Ebony Stain or a distressed white and aquamarine, will be up to you. It is not yours unless it is exactly what you want it to be.