six sisters 2005
by: Stefan Furrer
Good customers of mine asked me to build a table that seats from two to six, occasionally up to ten people. The table has to be narrow but long, accommodating the shape of their dining room.
Knowing their commitment to sustainable living I chose six different woods for the top. My only condition was: they had to be locally grown. One tree actualy grew just a few hundred yards from their house.
The first two are well known woods: Mendocino Cypress and Redwood (sequoia semper virens).
For the third I chose Madrone, a typical tree for this region.
Black Acacia is less known, it is the tree that blooms bright yellow in January.
Eucalyptus is an immigrant like me living on the North Coast since years. The sixth and least known sister is Nutmeg. The wood, freshly cut open, is canary yellow and smells like – nutmeg!
The frame is a sturdy steel construction welded together from 1x3 steel tubing with a black patina.
The leaves are attached to the frame with earth magnets, which means that they can be taken off and be interchanged. One could also leave one aside, space the others and leave the steel structure at the ends exposed.
32"d, 90"w, 30"h
redwood, Mendocino cypress, madrone, black acacia, eucalyptus, nutmeg, steel and magnets