Looking for ideas for a side table

[Matt Meiser]

I'm looking for ideas for a small side table. I kind of like the one Jim Becker built (link), but am looking for other ideas as well. I have a similar need to what Jim had, a place to put a drink when sitting in a recliner. The chair is in the corner, making a rectangular table somewhat impractical.

This will be going in our office, which I will be building furniture for in the future. Probably something close to Pottery Barn's modular desk system

[Von Bickley]

Matt,

I made a small pedestal table recently. You may want to consider one of these. A pedestal table will allow you to do round work and flat work on the same project...

[Jim Becker]

Mat, to go with that furniture, you'll want something with a more traditional design. You could do an oval or rectangular top similar to my little experiment, but do four slim tapered legs. It will be somewhat spindley looking if you make it really tiny, but should work out fine otherwise. The Thos Moser side table design I have built several of (and will build more) would be very adaptable for this use, especially if you can also scale the height down. (My little modernist table is only 18" tall...) A small "candle stand" with slightly more ornate legs would also work with that PB style.

[Matt Meiser]

Mat, to go with that furniture, you'll want something with a more traditional design. You could do an oval or rectangular top similar to my little experiment, but do four slim tapered legs. It will be somewhat spindley looking if you make it really tiny, but should work out fine otherwise. The Thos Moser side table design I have built several of (and will build more) would be very adaptable for this use, especially if you can also scale the height down. (My little modernist table is only 18" tall...) A small "candle stand" with slightly more ornate legs would also work with that PB style.

Jim, the top and size is what I like about your table. I'll have to pull out my Thos Moser catalogs and look through them. I'm looking for something different in the base, but I'm not sure what yet. Maybe a turned column as Von suggested. I do like that oval top thought.

I tried to go to the Thos Moser showroom in Chicago over the weekend, but it either closed or moved.

[Jim Becker]

The moved... http://www.thomasmoser.com/company/c...?showroom_id=7

The "side stand" table I'm speaking of isn't in their current offerings, but is in his "Measured Shop Drawings for American Furniture" book on page 270. (ISBN 0-8069-6792-7) The base assembly should scale nicely for your application and work fine with an oval top if that's what you prefer. You could even do the tapered underside of the top to keep the exposure to 1/2" by using a straight panel rasing bit...it's what I use for the square tops to save time.