Inspired by the native rock art (pictographs) on Kootenay Lake in southern British Columbia, Canada, this unique concrete and iron coffee table will be the center of attention in any home. The pictographs were created using the traditional iron oxide pigments used by the "First Nations" people over 300 years ago in the Kootenay region. According to legend, young natives would create rock art based on their dreams during a vision quest. For historical perspective, the concrete top is cast in colors that emulate the local rock. This organic effect is highlighted by the chiseled edge surrounding the table top - which is about two and a half feet long.
Originally designed and crafted for a gallery showing; in its first incarnation, this table was showcased as a "fire table". The "cast in place" recess held glass and fuel gel, which when lit, was a spectacular (and safe) fire feature. At the gallery debut, the table had a simple iron base. After the gallery event, the table languished for awhile at Legend Rock's show room....just taking up space. It appeared that most people just couldn't get their head around a small coffee table with a fire feature. A couple of different ideas were tried , such as planting a bonsai tree in the recess as well as a Zen sand display. What we found was that almost everybody had their own idea for the table. What everyone did agree on was that something had to be done with the base.
One day, Andrew Bibby - our favorite metal artist - dropped by for a visit. When asked what he could do about the base for the table, Andrew - in his own quiet way - said that "he would give it some thought". A few days later Andrew attempted to explain his idea of a base that appeared to be a couple of bundles of sticks in a vertical orientation supporting the table top. His vision turned out to be very tricky to craft as each piece had to be custom hammer forged to fit perfectly. The result - as you can see- defies description. We really enjoy collaborating with Andrew and realize that it is just a matter of time before his waiting list will make it very difficult to get one of his metal sculptures. Check out Andrews work at
www.blackknightforge.com
As this table and base are quite heavy, they come apart for shipping (and moving around the house).
Imagine this unique piece in your world. $4200
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There is a story about an engineer working in the Rolls Royce factory who made the mistake of saying "That's good enough", while within earshot of company co-founder, Henry Rolls. Henry went ballistic exclaiming (shouting)..."It's never good enough". This dedication to perfection is largely why the name Rolls Royce is synonymous with uncompromising quality. 
Although quality is expected in a Rolls Royce car, it is surprising what we run across that is really well made. Alison and I have noticed that many vintage items have stood the test of time, primarily because of the quality of design and construction. That being said, we were excited to find a simple wood and metal box that is so well made. This "Borden's" milk crate is in a league of it's own. It almost hurt putting castors on it. However, the end result is a practical - and funky, rolling storage bin that looks good wherever you need it. 
