Manzanita Side Table

This side table started with a single board of reclaimed white oak, salvaged from a demolished farmhouse in Sonoma County. The timber had nearly a century of patina — deep honeys and ambers that no stain could replicate.

The top is a simple circle, hand-shaped and sanded to 600 grit, letting the grain do the talking. Underneath, four legs of steam-bent cherry arc outward in a gentle splay, inspired by the branching form of the manzanita tree. Each leg was bent over a custom jig, a process that took three attempts to get right — cherry doesn't give up its straight lines easily.

Six coats of hand-rubbed tung oil bring out the depth of the oak's figure while keeping the surface tactile and warm to the touch. The joinery is all wedged mortise-and-tenon, designed to be disassembled if it ever needs to travel.