741 French Country Extension Dining Table With Two Leaves

741 French country extension dining table

We designed and built this extendable dining table for a local lady who LIVES to host dinner parties, and who, in fact, had her small but very charming cottage remodeled and a wall removed just for the purpose of holding such parties.  It was a 20-year, long term dream to have a custom table built for the purpose.  She participated in the design, and it was truly a pleasure to build this piece for her and her husband, to host their food and wine-loving friends.  It seats 8 closed, and it opens to 11 feet 8 inches long with two leaves.

741 French country extension dining table

For flexibility, either one or both leaves can be used.  Here's how it looks with one.

741 French country extension dining table

And here it is closed, and at 94 in long and 36 inches wide, it fits in their rather narrow dining room and will sit 8 people.

741 French country extension dining table

This 3/4 view, or isometric view, is the only photo which shows the thickness of the apron.  It's nearly 2 inches thick and it does show, and it makes a difference.  

741 French country extension dining table

The center opens here, at this joint.  All these details around the apron are carved by hand.

741 French country extension dining table

The leaves are fitted in this manner, and an attached breadboard borders each section of straights.  I love this look, and I think it gives the table a nice, clean, buckled-down look.  It reminds me of good leather work.  Our clients own a collection of hand blown tall stemware for serving wine, and they desired a perfectly flat table that did not have our usual slightly-uneven surface and slightly knobby pegs, which I thought was essential for an aged look.  So on this one, we took care that the leaves fit flat and most importantly will remain so throughout the table's lifetime.

741 French country extension dining table

Here is a close view of the top boards.  When we delivered the piece our clients served us an espresso which we gladly drank (it was about 11:30 at night I think) and I spilled some on the table to baptize it.

741 French country extension dining table

Shown here is the finish sample we used to get this very unusual, cool mushroom aged finish.  At first our client did not see any finish samples in my collection that she liked.  "Too yellow".  But down in the bottom of the box was this random piece of old carving that looks as if its finish is almost completely worn off.  And that is how this terrific color was born, and it looks wonderful in that room and it shimmers under incandescent night lighting.  It is of course a living finish, and so it will be durable and water and wine and food-proof.  But it is also meant to look dry and worn of like the sample.

You can see on this end view that we like to leave some evidence of "hand".   All our work is hand done the old fashioned way - Buck cuts the legs on the bandsaw and then shapes and carves them with hand tools.  This is the only way we know to get the right look.   It leaves us with very subtle variations in the curves, size of beads and shapes of each volute.  

This table is available in many different finish choices, and we will work with you to determine what is the ideal length for you.  In the meantime, please get in touch with me (Suzanne) by email or phone at 503-816-5316.

Link to purchase here