Outdoor Coffee Table

When receiving this order for a coffee table that will furnish a patio, two thoughts immediately jumped into mind- wood choice and the unrefined tendencies of outdoor furniture.

Known for its durability and low shrinkage rate, Kiaat (Also known as African Teak) was the perfect choice for this commission.

In terms of the unrefined tendencies of outdoor furniture, the design at its very core sets out to dismantle that notion entirely. Regardless of whether the piece of furniture is outside or inside, the high end and fine essence of the piece must remain present, which is what I attempted to do for this commission.

The customer gave me breathing room design wise (something that I love).

Outdoor furniture usually has sharp geometric forms and bulky proportions so I decided to honour that. However, I added the elegance, sleekness and high end design features that one would come to expect from fine furniture.

The inclusion of visible joinery such as half lap dovetails, through tenons as well as the visible dowel pins on the top adds a touch of fine detail to the build, balancing the “unrefined” with the refined, so to speak.

If you would like to learn more about the details of this piece (price, dimensions etc.) or adapt it to make it your own, contact adam@saunterfurniture.co.za