Glenview Coffee Table

A long, low coffee table from Four Hands, built around a thick solid oak top and wide panel legs that run the full depth of the table. The frame is solid oak and thick oak veneer, joined with bore-and-dowel and butt joints, so it sits heavy and square on the floor. It comes in two finishes, a weathered oak with open, rustic grain and a smoked black resawn oak, and the grain and tone will vary from table to table.

The Glenview suite takes a traditional idea and strips it down to a plain rectangle with no drawers, shelves or ornament. That leaves the wood to do the talking, with the weathered finish reading warm and a little worn-in and the smoked black reading darker and more graphic. Both sit comfortably next to a linen or leather sofa, a wool rug with some pattern, or a mix of older and newer furniture.

Set it at the center of the living room and let it take the daily load: a stack of books, a tray with candles, a bowl of fruit, a few mugs. The top is wide enough to be shared by a whole sofa, and the open space between the legs leaves room to slide a basket or a pair of ottomans underneath. Use coasters under hot or wet glasses, as with any wood surface.