Live Edge Conference Table From Chagrin Valley Custom Furniture
Creating a character-filled office environment inspires those who work in it and communicates a company’s identity to clients and visitors. While there are many facets of interior design, a distinctive conference table can serve as a focal point for your office — and even support your company’s message.
Companies across the country have turned to Chagrin Valley Custom Furniture to create one-of-a-kind live edge conference tables for their offices. These showpieces serve as a functional worktop for meetings and collaboration while also adding a touch of organic elegance to a space.
The Aesthetics of Live Edge Wood
Live edge wood, also known as natural edge wood, is revered for its raw and unrefined beauty. Unlike traditional wood furniture, a live edge piece features a slab of wood that is cut lengthwise, showcasing the natural contours of the tree from which it is cut. Often, the bark is left in place and is an integral part of the piece. Each live edge furniture slab is a substantial two to three inches thick and displays the unique grain patterns, knots, and imperfections that reveal the tree’s history. This distinctive aesthetic adds a sense of warmth, character, and individuality to a table, making it a focal point in any office.
The organic beauty of live edge wood brings the natural world into the modern workspace, offering a refreshing contrast to the uniformity of conventional office furniture. Each one-of-a-kind piece gives your space something special — a work of art and craftsmanship.
Crafting Quality: Understanding Wood Selection and Finishing
The quality of the wood used in crafting a live edge conference table significantly impacts its overall appearance, durability, and longevity. Ask questions of your furniture maker about their sourcing, the history of the mill, and, importantly, the aging and drying process. Because live edge wood is prone to warping, the ideal drying process should involve three steps — stick drying, air drying, and kiln drying — a process that takes years, not months.
Your preferences for color and grain are also important when choosing a wood species for your live-edge table. Some popular wood choices for live edge conference tables include:
Popular Wood Choices for Live Edge Conference Tables
| Wood Species | Characteristics |
| Walnut | Rich, dark hues and striking grain patterns |
| Maple | Light, creamy color and fine, uniform texture |
| Cherry | Warm, reddish-brown tones and smooth, satiny finish |
| Elm | Light, gray-brown or pink-brown and smooth, finely waved pattern |
| Hickory | Pale white to reddish-brown and pronounced grain pattern with markings and knots. |
| White Oak | Medium-brown with olive or gray undertones and a prominent, straight grain. |
Sizing Your Live Edge Conference Table
Scale is an important consideration in furniture selection. If your table is too large, it will dominate the space; too small, and it will seem lost in the room. Function should also be considered. Be sure to select a size that is large enough to accommodate your meetings.
Factors to Consider When Sizing Your Live Edge Conference Table
- Room dimensions and layout
- Seating capacity requirements
- Chair clearance
- Space for additional accessories or equipment
A good custom furniture manufacturer should be able to recommend the right size table for your space.
Live Edge Wood Finishes
A spray finish is the ideal finish for live edge wood. However, many live-edge table makers finish their pieces with a poured-on epoxy or rubbed-on oil-based product. These methods are less expensive for the manufacturer in part because they do not require the purchase of a spray booth and other equipment. Often, customers who choose an inlaid epoxy “river,” a popular feature in live edge wood pieces, assume their table must have an epoxy finish. This is a misconception. Epoxy finishes feature a high-gloss, scratch easily, and mask the finer details of the natural wood. A carefully selected and applied spray finish results in superior appearance and resistance to moisture and other damage.
Complementing Your Office Space with Live Edge Tables
Live edge tables are perfect for any type of workspace, including:
- Modern corporate boardrooms
- Collaborative coworking spaces
- Executive offices and meeting rooms
- Creative studio environments
Integrating a live edge conference table into your office requires consideration of design harmony and visual coherence. Consider the overall design theme, color palette, and furniture style of your office space when selecting a live edge conference table. Whether your office embraces a contemporary, industrial, or minimalist design aesthetic, a live edge table can complement it.
Accentuating Your Live Edge Conference Table with Decor
To further enhance the visual appeal of your office space, carefully choose accessories for and around your live edge conference table. Thoughtfully selected decor can amplify the table’s aesthetic impact and contribute to an inspiring work environment.
Decor Ideas to Accentuate Your Live Edge Conference Table
- Botanical accents: Introduce natural elements such as potted plants or succulents to infuse a sense of vitality and tranquility into the office space.
- Artwork and sculptures: Display captivating artwork or sculptures that reflect your company’s ethos and creative spirit, adding depth and personality to the surroundings.
- Task lighting: Install stylish overhead lighting or desk lamps to illuminate the live edge conference table and create an inviting ambiance for productive discussions and brainstorming sessions.
By thoughtfully integrating decor elements around the live edge table, you can create an inviting and cohesive office environment that inspires collaboration, creativity, and professional growth.
Chagrin Valley Custom Furniture
Chagrin Valley Custom Furniture offers a wide selection of premium hardwoods, locally and sustainably sourced in Ohio’s Amish Country, allowing you to choose the perfect wood species that aligns with your aesthetic preferences and functional requirements. Over a period of months, we work closely with our customers, either directly or in collaboration with their interior designer. Every element of your conference table features carefully considered custom design, from the hand-welded base to the final spray finish. We can also engrave your table with your company logo or any image you provide us and even fill the engraving with epoxy and add lighting. Reach out to CVCF today to learn more about our process and our one-of-a-kind custom tables.
