This tea table was designed and created for my brother who is absolutely obsessed with fine Chinese teas. The intent was to create a seemingly simple table, with hidden complexity - reflecting the nature of tea. This was my first small scale woodworking project. The top of the table is composed of factory maple setup pieces that would normally be thrown away. I laminated all of the pieces together to form the drainage table top. The basin is also made from factory cutoff maple wood and constructed with rabbit joints. I should note that after some learning about how joints react to moisture, I probably should have strengthened the rabbit joints with either some dowels or corner shims of some sort.
I then hand painted the bottom of the basin of a pool of water with a swimmer. The water reflections create an interesting illusion of depth. The painting is covered with plexiglass, and then sealed with clear caulking. I hope it lasts for years to come!
