STEPHAN WOODWORKING

A recliner or easy chair can be extremely comfortable for reading, but a small side table is needed for a book and coaster. The typical small table is pretty bland. What better way to show appreciation for a famiy member or trusted employee than a unique accent side table recognizing their love of wild flowers, boating, or other special interest or accomplishment.

A memorable accent side table begins with a solid cherry pedestal. The base, sub top, and top are octagons, the spindle a classic combination of buiding blocks such as cove, bead, urn, and more.

This octagonal top uses marquetry to show a traditional Mariners Compass symbol. The compass itself is alternating pieces of old South American mahogany and holly veneers. The compass north "N" is commercially fumed European oak veneer. The fan blades are mottled African anigre veneer an the borders quartersliced African mahogany (khaya)

veneer. (Sand shading highlights the blades.)

The background behind the compass is a bookmatched pair of consecutive leaves of European chestnut veneer.

The three piece band is made by sawing African pomele sapelle veneer (center) and mottled African statinwood veneer (outer pieces) and carefully taping them together.

The border is quarter sliced black cherry veneer and the edging is solid quartersawn black cherry.

To balance stresses during assembly of the top, the underside is quartersliced black cherry eneer.

This octagonal top uses marquetry to show a pair of white trillium plants on a forest floor.

The flower centers are Afrifan satinwood veneer, and the petals American holly. The flower sepals, leaf upper sides, and plant stems are commercially dyed European poplar veneer. The leaf undersides are the natural green heartwood veneer of European poplar. (Sand shading highlights the petals and leaves to give a three dimensional look.)

The forest floor is a piece of blac walnut burl veneer.

The background behind the trillium is a bookmatched pair of consecutive leaves of European chestnut veneer.

The three piece band is made by sawing African pomele sapelle veneer (center) and mottled African statinwood veneer (outer pieces) and carefully taping them together.

The band is American holly veneer. The border is quarter sliced black cherry veneer and the edging is solid quartersawn black cherry.

To balance stresses during assembly of the top, the underside is quartersliced black cherry