When my buddy, an architect and art collector, sent me various auction listings for George Nakashima dining tables, I proposed an alternative plan. I said, maybe you want to go visit Mira, his daughter, to design a table together. He followed through on the idea, and we put together a flat packed trestle table the other day.
The crating was beautiful – I always enjoy a good crate! – and of course, everything was wrapped perfectly. The table was held together with two tapered dovetail wedges on the stretcher, and hand finished cone dowels that held beams together.
Assembly took less than 5 minutes with a rubber mallet (non marking of course). I was told that this is the only table design they make that is flat packable. That alone is a serious consideration that allowed shipping to be a lot less, and to have the table delivered to Honolulu by air freight.
Several years before this, I also had a chance to order some Nakashima pieces for my place. I visited a few times, enjoying the campus, and beautiful structures.
During tours, photos are restricted from what I recall. But working with designers and choosing pieces, photos were allowed.
I ordered a low table that was half way between the height of a Japanese low table and coffee table, an asanoha lamp, a widdecomb sofa, a conoid chair, and a credenza.
All of this was purchased well before my interest in hand tool work and joinery, and I consider it influential in my decision to pursue wood craft.
The lamp was used as a jungle gym by my daughter and the shade was smashed and need of repair, which I will get to one day.
Design comes in the form of browsing suggested slabs marked with chalk rough lines, and selecting them together. Drawings are made and approved, and then sometimes the designers come up with alternative pieces that might work better in terms of color or balance. At the end of the process I requested the drawings, which I think is uncommon.
I highly recommend visiting and considering experiencing the design process with Nakashima if you have the opportunity. Or any local furniture builder.
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