Need suggestions for cabinet top

[Cliff Polubinsky]

I'm designing a small cabinet for my SIL's home office that will hold a printer on top, the cpu on a shelf and printing paper on the bottom. Dimension will be 22" wide, 24" deep and 28" high.

The table will be in the space below.

373496

The cabinet will be cherry which brings me to my question. Since cherry darkens with light and there will be a printer on top, I thought it would be good to have something else on the top besides cherry so it doesn't get a shadow. A leather or cork pad, for example, or some type of veneer or tile. It will need to fit in with the style of the desk, which is moderately ornate.

What would you suggest?

Cliff

[Dave Richards]

I think an inset leather top panel would look nice. Something like what you might see on a high end desk of the period. You could also do a sort of faux leather paint job on a piece of tempered hardboard and inset that. It wouldn't wind up with dents in it from the printer's feet.

[Mike Ontko]

+1 for the leather (real or faux) inset top. Or, you could use the same concept but a different material--stone tile, glass, etc. As another option--build a traditional table to go with the traditional look of the room, then build a more contemporary platform to place the printer on. The platform would be movable/removable, possibly with short felt- or rubber-tipped feet (to protect the table's finish) that would sit on the table's top.

[Prashun Patel]

I would suggest cherry still. A couple of my tops have developed 'sun spots' for the reason you mention. However, it all tends to even up over time after the item is removed.

[Jim Becker]

Yea, I kinda agree with Prashun...as I often do. :) I'd just do the cherry and not worry about this because long-term, it will not really matter.

[Cliff Polubinsky]

The inset leather idea sounds good. A secondary benefit would be that I could laminate the leather over plywood and eliminate the movement issues. Then edge it with cherry.

Thanks to all.

Cliff

[Mike Ontko]

Cliff, We'll be wanting pictures of course ;)

[Bob Faris]

!/4-inch thick glass.

http://www.luxuryroomdecor.com/mediaimages/glass_table_top_cover1413906443.jpg

[Jim Dwight]

Granite tile.