Every once in a while an opportunity for a truly special job will present itself and the chance to produce a unique built-in or piece of furniture is yours. That happy circumstance presented itself earlier this year and we recently delivered a custom coffee table to one of our clients. The opportunity was special because the client is someone who has a deep appreciation for our craft, and I believe if he could, he would become a practitioner himself.

A Cut Above built and installed a custom media center in his home several years ago. The cherry built-in was meticulously designed in conjunction with the client. Most importantly though, the finish was to be distressed and glazed……..not too much and not too little. With good communication, and a sample or two, we got it and he was delighted with the results. The original built-in is pictured below.

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I crossed paths with his interior designer a few months back and discovered he was interested in a new coffee table but nothing she had presented would do. Most were not the right style, right color, or right size. One important feature was that the surface of the coffee table had to be only 16 inches tall. And, it was to be placed in the same room as the built-ins and of course they needed to work together. The fact is, you can’t find a coffee table like that in a store.

The client and designer were on a quest to have one built. During a conversation with the designer I was reminded that I said in past conversations that A Cut Above specialized in built-ins, and did not produce furniture. While that is generally true, it was not true in this case! A week or so later the client hired A Cut Above to build the custom coffee table.

I hadn’t seen the client in over three years. We met again this past spring at his house in the room where we installed the built-in media cabinetry. When we shook hands, we each smiled broadly as the memory of creating that beautiful project together came to the forefront. As he shook my hand, he said, “I think that whenever we see each other again, for the rest of our lives, we will always be smiling like this.”

Wow. That’s one of the nicest compliments I have ever received. And that’s why the coffee table was so special….that’s why it came out so well. When we work for someone who appreciates what we do and lets us know about it, it brings out the best in us.

We recently completed the coffee table and delivered another special project that we will always remember.

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