I needed a small table on the patio to place in front of the fire pit. A place to set the occasional glass of wine as we stare into the fire and to put things down when I cook there too.
I came up with this design which seems reasonably inventive. Since the base is symmetrical , what is top or bottom is reversible. And it can be stood on end to give the table two heights. I must confess this was not a design criteria, just a nice surprise. Its three point stance is right for the irregular patio surface. I think it is quite strong. The center diagonal is 4 x 4 oak and the pinned joinery is such that I can't quite picture where it would break. The stone and I weigh 240 pounds. Could it support 500? 1000? I'm curious but not enough to test it .
But after all this I think the jury is still out on this piece. I think it looks a little awkward, a little clunky. My original idea called for an irregular shape top. I settled for this rectangular thermal cut flagstone partly due to cost(granite or marble are four times as expensive) and it matches the patio stone. I think thinner might help. But the question might be: is this appealing because it doesn't match our expectation of four supporting legs for a table or is it not appealing for the very same reason?
