Design Minded Episode
I think all small businesses dream of being discovered by some TV series and making it big, and while we won't be on the red carpet anytime soon we did get a glimpse of what TV life was like.
We were contacted by Kate Arends, a local and influential owner of the lifestyle brand Wit and Delight, to create a custom dining table to be featured in a pilot episode of a new TV series. The deadline was short, only 8 days to build the piece from scratch, and it had to tie into other elements of the kitchen and dining room being featured on the episode. The piece was to be a combination of prep area, working area, dining area, and a place to socialize. We landed on a unique design of a counter height table with drawers tucked between two of the legs on one end. This would give the piece more function for prepping food and storing items on one side while the rest of the table was left open to serve as standard seating and gathering space for family and guests.
My father and I set to work on crafting the distinct parts of the table. I focused on the hard maple top and legs while my father worked hard to build out the cabinets so they could be mounted seamlessly between the legs of the table. The piece had to be built in sections so that it could be broken down, transported and reassembled on site after navigating it through narrow hallways and several tight corners in the home. Each leg was fastened to the table top and apron with hardware that would still allow for wood movement throughout the seasons. The cabinets were secured from within to hide all of the hardware and give the appearance of a single piece. Everything was painted to match the rest of the cabinetry in the home, except the maple top which was left in its natural beauty.
We cut it close, still applying finish the night before the episode was supposed to be filmed. It was a tough week of long hours, but taking a step back, the piece was exactly what we had envisioned.The next morning, with the finish barely dry, we loaded everything to head to Kate’s home. When we arrived there were crew everywhere, some with cameras and microphones, others setting up tables with food, and others instructing everyone where to be and what to do. We got everything ready to go and waited until it was our turn to shine, with cameras rolling we began to move each piece carefully through the house and set it in place. Delicately assembling each part, meticulously tightening every fastener, knowing that all eyes were on us for those brief moments. It was a unique experience to have everyone watching us while we installed the piece, we were so relieved that everything went together without issue and it really did tie the kitchen and dining area together wonderfully!
We waited anxiously for weeks to see the episode when it aired. Another strange experience to see yourself on TV and reliving the day. The piece was the focal point of the dining room and turned out even better than we had hoped! We are so thankful that we were able to be a part of such a special experience and add something to Kate’s beautiful home.