From Workshop to Showroom: A One-of-a-Kind Scottish Elm Dining Table
- Steven Burgess Furniture
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Follow the journey of an extraordinary piece of Scottish elm as it becomes a striking oval dining table — and discover why it barely had time to settle into our showroom.
It Starts with the Timber
For this particular piece, we wanted to create something that really celebrated the natural character of Scottish elm. We selected exceptionally high-character planks, each with its own unusual grain, movement, natural edges and distinctive features.
Rather than trying to make the timber uniform or fit it into a predetermined design, we allowed the character of the wood to guide the table.
The result is a striking oval dining table where the natural beauty of the elm takes centre stage, complemented by rich ocean blue resin concentrated towards one end and flowing into some of the timber's natural openings and features.
Adding a Splash of Colour
With the timber selected, the next step was choosing the resin that would complement it.
We settled on a rich ocean blue, creating a striking contrast against the warm tones and natural character of the Scottish elm. Rather than creating a traditional resin river through the centre, the resin was incorporated into the design where it naturally worked with the timber — forming a larger feature at one end while also filling some of the elm's natural holes and openings.
The result is a finish that feels bold without taking away from the character of the wood, allowing the resin and timber to work together as part of the overall design.
Bringing the Table to Life
Once the timber had been selected and the design developed around its natural character, the table began to take shape.
The oval form gives the piece a softer, more organic silhouette, while allowing the unusual grain and natural edges of the elm to remain a key part of the design.
The resin was carefully introduced into the areas where it would enhance the timber, creating a balance between the natural wood and the striking blue detail.
From shaping and sanding through to the final finishing stages, each step required patience and precision.
From Workshop to Showroom
Once completed, the table took pride of place in our showroom.
We loved it.
Our customers loved it too.
In fact, it sold almost immediately.
It's always incredibly rewarding when a piece finds its new home so quickly, particularly when we've created something so individual.
But it did leave us with one rather important problem...
We needed another table for the showroom!
And Now We're Making Another...
We're now back in the workshop creating another one-of-a-kind table to take its place.
Just like this piece, the new table will be designed around the character of the timber we select. We don't start with a rigid template and simply fill in the blanks — we look at what makes each piece of wood special and allow that to influence the design.
So, while we know it will be completely unique, we don't know exactly what the finished table will look like yet.
And if this table is anything to go by, you'll need to be quick if you'd like to see the next one before it finds its new home!
Thinking About Your Own Bespoke Table?
Not every bespoke table needs to follow a set formula.
The beauty of working with natural timber is being able to create a design around the individual character of each piece — whether that's unusual grain, natural edges, distinctive features or the addition of resin.
If you're considering a dining table that's completely unique to your home, we'd love to explore what's possible with you.
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