An architect friend of mine and I plan on designing/building a dining table for myself in the near future. The original plan was to make a china cabinet for my Grandmother's dishes, but I found one in the meantime ... that may come later. In the past I have had many conversations with another designer friend about designing your own pieces ... and while I am not married to this view, but it seemed the consensus was "why design something for yourself, when so many good designs already exist?"
It's a rather narrow view I know, but to that point, the successful designs that already exist have undergone so much scrutiny and testing and have stood the test of time. What's the point? Why not just buy something? On the other hand, why not make your own to suit your needs?
I am not looking for acceptance for my project. As I will most likely go through with it at some point, but rather am interested in your view on the subject...
Given that the budget was the same, would you rather buy an existing design ... or painstakingly design your own?
In my instance I just have not found what I am looking for for a dining table, in my budget, to go with chairs that I am already married to. SO the idea was to simply make my own. We'll see as it could be a lesson as to why certain designs are so prcy and why certain designs are so visually successful. The main thing I notice between successful and non-successful designs is firstly, and most obviously, the materials. But the part that isn't easy, is the perfect use of proportions. So many "affordable" options (let's say 500-1000 USD) are decent but just miss the mark in terms of pleasing shapes, sizes, proportions etc. That price is great for a well designed table with solid materials. But expensive for something that misses the mark.
I am with you, Whitespike!
I love the ability to express myself and really enjoy the satisfaction of creating something with my own two hands. I reguarly build things for our home. I'm known for repurposing and reusing things, often different from their original intent, and making stuff that works for my space/life/style. It's fun! Go for it, you'll probably love you table far intothe future, even if it doesn't come out perfect, because you made it!
A couple of my fav DIY projects:
Pendant lamps for the back porch of my former house using stainless steel utensil cans from IKEA.
Aircraft cable, tunbuckles and carabiner hooks for a shower curtain rod and rings.
Certainly !
If only because you can say (and feel) "I did that myself" !
Custom furniture shops (every good-sized city has many) stay in business because there are clients (usually brought in by a designer) who haven't found what they want on the market. Many existing designs are copied in unusual/non-standard materials or dimensions -- as well as original designs being built, of course.
Given that, the dining table's proportions and lovely underpinnings are usually hidden by a cluster of chairs, aren't they ? One could argue that your money (and there's no reason to think that this is going to be the cheapest option for you -- unless (like me) you are willing to consider a solid-core door on (carefully-chosen) concrete blocks, etc) would be better spent elsewhere ?
But rage on. I have about a billion unbuilt designs I could show you. . .
SDR, I'd love to see what you have! Especially since I have walked into this thing blindly, having no idea as to what I want. And it will take some time ... to save up and to design...
But for a fun exercise I chose a group of tables that "flip my skirt up." I found most of them have several design aspects in common. This made it a very good exercise to learn what I really want.
Tables I selected are below. There are a few curve balls, and one is a coffee table...
I would ...
design it and build it myself, given the opportunity. The biggest reason not to is time.
If I had the perfect plan and then the perfect table came along, I probably would cave and buy it -- then I'd make something else!
The goal to me would be to have the table (or whatever) that would work best. I don't have a problem buying something wonderful designed by someone else. The time saved on the table (or whatever) could be used on another of my "masterpieces."
Those
make a grand collection, in toto. And a coffee table can certainly provide the inspiration for a dining table. After I had been making table models for a while, I made my first 1/2-full-size one -- and realized that the model would make a fine coffee table !
Most of my designs are quite different from the kind of thing you obviously prefer. I do have a few in that vein. My principal contribution (as I see it) is the innovation (?) of a central serving "island," raised by a couple of inches from the "dining" level of the table -- and usually hovering over an opening in the top which allows light and space to penetrate to the area below the top -- like a clerestory or skylight in a building. . .
What an outstanding set of tables.
The few and small restoration and DIY projects I have done have all been extremely rewarding. Not necessarily in terms of the result itself, but as an overall learning experience. Like ShawnMarie, I would love to do much more if given the opportunity and time.
So I am with Olive, SDR and ShawnMarie on this. You should do it. Just set realistic goals and never underestimate the importance of experience. And build models.
Of course, a good designer...
...would know a few things about height, about lay-out and number of users, leg space, structure etc...but than again, most of his effort goes into figuring out what you want...and you have the advantage of knowing it. Some people might be challenged by trying to figure out how to make what they have in mind, whereas designers are quite good at that. I have to admit that I designed our dining table myself. A friend of mine who works with glass the way SDR works with wood (in perfect harmony with the material) asked me to design a table to show off his unusual abilities...and pay for the table afetr it was used in an exhibition. So I did. He made the connections perfectly, not the slightest thiny air bubble in the glued joints, not a trace of glue anywhere, all edges perfectly grinded and a perfectly engraved surface...Yes it did cost an arm and a leg, but a pleasure to have, so go for it my white friend!
I'd
love to see your table, Koen. An all glass table ?
If you would care to have it posted, send me a pic and I'll put it up here.
Here is one batch of my tables (two pages):
http://savewright.org/wright_chat/viewtopic.php?t=2510#2510
The day after tomorrow I start...
a series of 5 conferences at university... on problems in design that have kept me busy for too long a time, but I still have to prepare them so no free time in the coming 48 hrs. But on friday I will take a picture or two.
As the ones that I did see before, I love the tables SDR. There is still something I have to get used to when it comes to proportions. It has to do with the cm as a smaller unit in the metric system versus the inch in the imperial, but you master it well. I love the combination of well treated MDF and pine. It has a warmth that softens the more constructive shapes and scales them down...very interesting.
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